Anemone hybrida Fantasy Jasmine

Anemone x hybrida Fantasy Jasmine is a small Japanese anemone, particularly vigorous and floriferous. This perennial with a rounded and compact habit is well suited to container cultivation and shows excellent performance in borders and beds. It forms a lovely bush covered in single flowers, which are deep pink in colour with a golden centre, even late in to the season. This perennial plant possesses an indefinable charm that complements the abundant flowering of asters and silver foliage so well. It thrives in full sun or partial shade, in moist and rich soil.

Japanese anemone 'Fantasy Jasmine' is a recent variety that is particularly floriferous and vigorous, belonging to the Ranunculaceae family. Descendant of Anemone hupehensis, native to central and western China, this low and compact variety will not exceed 40 cm (16in) in all directions. Like other Japanese Anemones, it is a perennial plant with fibrous 'tubers' that forms large and vigorous clumps with a rounded habit. The foliage of this variety is particularly healthy and disease-resistant. It is deciduous to semi-evergreen depending on the climate, deeply cut, dark green, strongly veined on the underside, and hairy. The flowering occurs from August-September to November. The flowers are solitary, carried by sturdy, slender, and straight stems. They first appear as delightful oval and fluffy buds, pink in colour, then open into loosely cup-shaped flowers. Their colour is a deep pink, surrounding a wide crown of yellow stamens. Japanese anemones can live for about ten years in the same location.

The Japanese anemone is one of the prettiest autumn flowers. Light and graceful, it sways gently in the wind, unaffected by the first frosts. It decorates the garden or large pots on the terrace from late summer until the first frosts. Perfect at the back of borders for the larger varieties, it blends its elegant flowers with the grace of Aster cordifolius or Aster laevis, and the nostalgic charm of perennial chrysanthemums. The Fantasy Cinderella variety is perfect in the centre or along the edge of a border, among seaside cinerarias and silver artemisias, in front of a hedge of hydrangeas and spindle trees. Finally, the finely cut foliage of anemones adds a beautiful dark green touch to flower bouquets. Sometimes invasive if it is happy, it easily self-seeds. Fortunately, it is quite easy to control its growth.