Native to South Africa, this evergreen subshrub is a member of the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, that also includes delphinium, clematis, and hellabore. It grows 12-24″ tall and has a short stem densely covered with long petioled leaves that are bi-ternately cut into 3 lobes or 3 segments. From winter to early spring 1-2 flowers appear on flowering stems up to 24 ” tall well above the foliage. The 3″ wide flowers lack petals but have as many as 20 narrow sepals that are silky pale pink or mauve, paler inside. Exotic choice for a wildflower garden. The genus name, Anemone, is probably a corrupted Greek loan word of Semitic origin referring to the lament for the slain Adonis or Naaman, whose scattered blood produced the blood-red Anemone coronaria. The specific epithet, tenuifolia, comes from the Latin words tenuis meaning slender, and folia, meaning leaf and refers to the leaf segments.
Type: Evergreen subshrub
Bloom: Silky pink to mauve, 3″ across, from winter to early spring
Size: 12-24″ H x 12-18″
Light:Partial shade
Soil: Average, medium moist, well-drained
Hardiness: Zones 9-10
Care: Low maintenance
Pests and Diseases: None of significance
Propagation: Seed
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Karen 