The Canadians are invading!

This little beauty, Canadian anemone, showed her face yesterday for the first time in this garden. I am really in love with the pure creamy colour of her petals (technically, sepals) and could hardly wait to see her again. The picture, unfortunately, does not do her justice.

Yet meadow anemone aka Canada anemone, a native North American plant, is said to be invasive. I find that label a little excessive, seeing as it's on the endangered list in three states. It does indeed spread by rhizomes, but it takes a few years to get established and probably would not reach pest status unless it had ideal conditions.

I have always found that the first year I transplant this into my garden, it struggles mightily. This was as good as it got last year. Sometimes it dies back altogether. But the next year it comes back a little healthier and by the third or fourth it starts to spread somewhat. Of course, I have been growing it in rather heavy soil, which may be slowing it down somewhat.

Anemone canadensis is a woodland plant, despite the name "Meadow anemone" and does best in damp, humusy soil with partial or dappled shade. I have seen it carpeting several square meters in a natural setting, but it definitely hadn't taken over the whole woods. If you've grown this and consider it wannabe goutweed, please let me know. That hasn't been my experience.