Grecian windflower

Grecian windflower: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Low clump 10–15 cm tall and about 15 cm wide that slowly spreads.

Leaves

Finely divided and fern-like, fresh green; they appear in late winter and die back in early summer.

Flower

Daisy-like, 3–4 cm across, with 10–15 narrow petals around a yellow centre, in March–April.

Colour

Usually blue to violet, also white, pink and magenta.

Tuber

Small, hard and irregular in shape, dark brown; top and bottom are hard to tell apart.

Flowering: March–April · Plants: September–October

Why grow it?

• An early spring carpet in blue, white or pink, in March–April.
• Early nectar and pollen for bees and bumblebees.
• Spreads by self-seeding and makes a lovely ground cover beneath shrubs and deciduous trees.
• Low and dainty: suits rock gardens, the edge of a border and pots.
• After flowering it retreats underground, leaving room for summer plants.

Grecian windflower: where does it grow best?

• Sun or partial shade: ideal beneath deciduous shrubs and trees, which still let light through in spring.
• Well-drained, humus-rich soil: sand, loam or clay, neutral to chalky.
• Moderately moist in spring; in summer the soil may be drier, but must not stay wet.
• Plant the tubers 5–10 cm apart, in groups or broad drifts for the best effect.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Neutral or chalky

Moisture

Normal

Size

0.12 m tall, 0.15 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -25 °C)

Goes well with

• Species tulip: Small, early tulips that rise just above the blue carpet.
• Dwarf daffodil: Little yellow flowers beside the blue windflowers.
• Glory-of-the-snow: Another blue spring bloomer for beneath shrubs.
• Hellebore: Large flowers in late winter and spring, in the same partial shade.

Grecian windflower: when and how to plant it?

Plant in September–October.

1. Plant in September–October: the earlier, the better.
2. Soak the hard tubers overnight in lukewarm water: they swell and sprout more readily.
3. Plant them 5 cm deep. If you cannot see which way up they go, lay them on their side: the plant will find its own way.
4. Leave 5–10 cm between tubers and plant in groups of at least 10–20.
5. Firm the soil and water if it is dry.
6. A thin layer of leaf mould protects the tubers and feeds the soil.

Care

Water

Usually not needed; water a little during growth only in a dry spring.

Feeding

A thin layer of compost or leaf mould in autumn is enough.

Foliage

Let the leaves die back naturally after flowering: they feed the tuber for next year.

Weeding

Weed carefully by hand around the plants and do not hoe: the tubers lie shallow.

Self-seeding

Let the seed heads ripen if you want it to spread.

Tip: Plant it beneath deciduous shrubs or trees: there it gets sun in spring, and in summer, when it is dormant, the shade does not bother it.

Grecian windflower: when to prune it?

When: Pruning is not needed. After flowering, in May–June, let the leaves die back naturally.

How:

• Snip off spent flowers if you do not want seedlings; otherwise leave them.
• Only cut or mow the foliage once it is completely yellow or brown.
• In early summer, clear away the withered leaves so the spot looks tidy.

Caution: Wear gloves when handling the tubers or foliage: the sap can irritate the skin.

Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Seed

Let the seed heads ripen: it self-seeds freely. You can also sow fresh seed in a pot in June and leave it outside; it usually germinates the following spring.

Dividing tubers

In summer, when the foliage has died back, lift older tubers and break them into pieces, each with an eye. Replant straight away 5 cm deep.

Grecian windflower: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −25 °C.

• Fully hardy, to about −25 °C: in Belgium the tubers simply stay in the ground.
• The new leaves often appear as early as February and tolerate night frost.
• In a pot: stand the pot against a wall or in a cold frame so that the compost does not get too wet or stay frozen too long.

Diseases and pests

• Fails to come up: The tubers had dried out. Soak them overnight before planting and plant as early as possible in autumn.
• Rot: Tubers rot in wet, heavy soil. Mix coarse sand or compost into clay and do not plant where water stands.
• Slugs: Holes in young leaves and flowers in spring. Pick them off in the evening, or lay down a board and collect them from under it in the morning.
• Flowers stay closed: In cloudy or cold weather the flowers close. That is normal: they open as soon as the sun shines.

Through the year

• February: The first leaves appear.
• March: Flowering begins. Bees visit the flowers.
• April: Full flower.
• May: Leave the foliage until it yellows. The seed ripens.
• June: The foliage dies back. Sow fresh seed.
• July: Dormant. Divide tubers if wished.
• September: Soak the tubers overnight and plant.
• October: Plant. Give a thin layer of leaf mould.

Edible and useful

Not edible. All parts of these anemones are poisonous, especially the small tubers: when the plant is damaged it releases protoanemonin, an acrid compound also found in buttercups. In the mouth it causes a burning feeling, drooling, vomiting and stomach ache; on the skin, redness and sometimes small blisters. Before planting, the dry tubers are soaked in water for a few hours: keep that bowl out of reach of children, dogs and cats, and afterwards pour the water out on the border. Clear up loose tubers, as dogs like to dig them up. Wear gloves when planting if you have sensitive skin. If any is swallowed, call a poison centre (in Belgium 070 245 245) or your doctor at once.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• The flowers close in the evening and in cloudy weather, and open again when the sun shines.
• The species name blanda is Latin for ‘mild’ or ‘charming’.
• The name anemone is traditionally linked to the Greek anemos, ‘wind’: hence the English name windflower.