Anemones as cut flowers
Cutting anemones is straightforward because they have long, unbranched stems, typically producing 4-6 stems from the rosette of leaves. The best time to cut is when the buds are still slightly closed. To preserve the anemones in a vase as long as possible and ensure the largest blooms, harvest them as soon as the flowers detach about 1 cm from the green leaf collar.
Anemones are extremely long-lasting cut flowers that should ideally be harvested as soon as the flowers open. These open during daylight and close at night. Therefore, it is recommended to harvest in the morning or evening when the flowers are still closed to avoid damaging the open petals.
durability
Anemones last a very long time in a vase, between six and eight days. Like tulips, anemones stretch a little further in a vase. The stems may bend overnight, but they will remain straight if they are placed upright in a taller vase or tied in bunches: once under the flower heads and once at the stem ends.
Storing anemones
After flowering, around mid-May, the anemones can be removed from the bed to make room for annual summer flowers. The soil can be gently shaken off the tubers before they are stored in a box in the shed or garage. In late summer, slightly moist potting soil is added to the box to encourage the anemones to sprout again.
Diseases
Anemones are generally very disease-resistant. The only caution is that during humid periods, spent flower heads can become a breeding ground for fungal infections, which could affect young buds and flowers. This can be prevented, however, by regularly removing spent flower heads before the petals fall off, as well as by cutting them back before heavy rain.
Caution: poisonous!
Like many anemones, the crown anemone is toxic to humans and animals. Its sap can cause skin irritation. Therefore, gloves should always be worn when caring for it and hands should be washed thoroughly after use.
