Poppy Anemone

Anemone coronaria, the poppy anemone, is a corm-grown flower prized by florists and cutting gardeners for its saturated jewel-tone blooms — poppy-like cups of red, purple, blue, or white centered on a near-black boss, held on wiry stems above finely cut, fern-like foliage. De Caen types are single-flowered; St Brigid types carry a fuller, semi-double ruffled bloom.

Winter severity decides the planting calendar. In zones 8 and warmer, corms can stay in the ground over winter, so they go in during fall for flowers from late winter into spring. Everywhere colder, a hard winter will rot or kill corms left in the ground, so plant in late winter instead, close to when the ground becomes workable. Either way, soak corms in room-temperature water for 3–4 hours before planting to rehydrate them, then set them about 2 inches deep, 4–6 inches apart — the corms are small, irregular, and knobby with no reliable top or bottom, so don't worry about orientation; plant them on their side if unsure. Specialty growers sell out of De Caen and St Brigid stock early, so order corms roughly two months ahead of whichever planting window applies.

All parts of the plant contain protoanemonin, an irritant compound typical of the buttercup family, and can cause skin and gastrointestinal irritation if handled roughly or ingested — wear gloves when cutting or dividing in quantity, and keep away from children and pets.