Anemone hupehensis var. japonica (Chinese anemone, "Shumeigiku")

Japanese name: シュウメイギク （秋明菊）
Scientific name: Anemone hupehensis var. japonica

[Overview]
A perennial planted in gardens and also seen near human settlements and at woodland edges.
It tends to prefer limestone areas.
The underground stems extend long and spread.
The stem grows 50–80 cm tall and is covered all over with appressed hairs.
A few basal leaves arise from the rhizome.
The basal leaves consist of 3 leaflets, each 5–7 cm long and 3–7 cm wide, with 3–5 lobes.
The leaflets have serrated margins and leaflet stalks.
The leaves on the stem are whorled, 2–3 at a time.
Of the stem leaves, the lower ones have short petioles and resemble the basal leaves, while the upper ones are small and almost stalkless.
The stem branches in the upper part and bears many long flower stalks, each with a solitary flower at its tip.
The flowers are double, 5–7 cm across, with 20–30 pale red-purple sepals that look like petals.
The outer sepals are green, thick and covered with silky hairs.
There are many stamens, with yellow anthers.
There are also many pistils, which have slender stalks and gather in a globe.
White single-flowered forms are also often cultivated.
Fruit is not normally produced.

[History]
The plants growing wild in Japan are thought to have been introduced from China long ago and become naturalized.
It is also said that many of the plants cultivated in Japan under the name "Shumeigiku" (秋明菊) are hybrids and not the true Shumeigiku.

[Uses]
It is used as a tea-ceremony flower (chabana).

[Cultivation]
Propagate usually by division or root cuttings.
It prefers sun to partial shade and fertile, well-drained, slightly moist soil.
In poor sunlight, flowering is poor.
It dislikes heat and dryness, so keep direct sunlight off the base of the plant.
For potted plants, move them into shade in midsummer and otherwise keep them in the sun.
It is very cold-hardy, and once established in the garden it requires little care.
For plants in the garden, watering is unnecessary unless the soil becomes extremely dry.
For potted plants, water when the soil surface dries so that the soil never dries out.
Fertilize in spring and autumn, avoiding the hot season, with fertilizer placed on the soil once a month or liquid fertilizer once a week.
Pests and diseases include southern blight, powdery mildew, aphids, armyworms and pyralid moths.

[Notes]
The alternative name Kibune-giku comes from the plant being common at Kibune in Kyoto.

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