Anemone nemorosa Blue Eyes

Anemone nemorosa 'Blue Eyes', also known as Wood Anemone, is a small bulbous plant of the understorey layer, rare and precious for its double spring flowering, pure white with a dark blue heart. Perfect as groundcover, in shaded areas, sometimes slow to establish, it will eventually form tangled rhizome mats that no weed can infiltrate. A gift from nature in early spring.

Anemone nemorosa 'Blue Eyes' belongs to the Ranunculaceae family. It is a cultivar derived from the Wood Anemone, distributed throughout almost all of Europe, Western Asia and Boreal America. This small plant forms a cushion 10 cm (4in) tall, and will spread over 20 cm (8in) and more. It produces non-branched vertical stems carrying flowers in early in spring, from late March to mid-May.  These are three whorled, well-cut bracts, with a single flower in their centre, 3 to 5 cm (1 to 2in) in diameter. The flower has several oval tepals (sepals in the shape of petals), white on the inside, and pink on the outside, the number of which varies greatly depending on the age of the plant: it is not uncommon for the majority of flowers in the first year to be single, with double flowers appearing later. The throat is marked with dark blue around the yellow stamens. The flower opens to the light and follows the direction of the sun. It closes in the evening, or in case of rain, avoiding damage from water by gracefully tilting to the side. All the flowers are oriented in the same way, forming a particularly harmonious carpet. The rhizome of the 'Blue Eyes' wood anemone is fleshy and brittle, growing only 3 centimetres (1 inch) per year. It runs just below the surface of the soil. After flowering, it produces many slightly hairy three-leaflet leaves. The flower does not occupy the same position year after year, it moves following its rhizome.

Plant the 'Blue Eyes' wood anemone in humus-rich, light, not too rich soil, moist to dry in summer, well-drained. This plant requires a shady and damp location. In nature, the wood anemone grows and blooms in spring, when the trees are still leafless. It completes its vegetative cycle in summer when its leaves disappear, which corresponds to its period of dormancy. This is the most opportune time to plant it under a tree or to dress the base of hedges. It is not afraid of competition from the roots of trees and shrubs.

Anemone nemorosa 'Blue Eyes' is primarily an undergrowth plant. You can use it as such at the base of hedges, shrubs, and deciduous trees. Pair it with Anemone blanda, which will succeed it in flowering and requires the same growing conditions.

In temperate European zones, in the forest, where it occurs spontaneously, it would (along with lily of the valley) be a good indicator of the age and naturalness of the forest. The wood anemone and its cultivars are plants used in herbal medicine and aromatherapy.

Anemone nemorosa comes in the form of a rhizome section packaged in a compost bag.