Flower Feature: Anemones

These charming, vibrant blooms with their signature black center derive their name from the same Greek word meaning “the wind’s daughter.”

 

Anemones open in the day and close up at night, a unique trait that played a symbolic role in the Greek myth of Aphrodite and her lover Adonis, a mortal.  The story goes that the two lovers would go hunting together in the woods, Adonis chasing game on foot and Aphrodite trailing behind him in her swan-driven chariot. Aphrodite’s ex-lover Aries soon grew jealous of their bond, and while Adonis was out hunting alone, his rival disguised himself as a boar and brutally attacked Adonis with his tusks.  While Adonis fought for his life, he was no match for a god and fell to his death on the forest floor.

Aphrodite rushed to his side, but it was too late.  In mourning, she sprinkled ceremonial nectar on her lover’s wounds and carried him out of the forest.  Turning back, she saw crimson anemones had sprouted out of the ground where each drop of blood had fallen.  The wind blowing the flowers open or closing them in stillness is said to represent the gain and loss of love.

There are over 150 varieties of anemones in a wide range of colors and shapes, bearing one to three blooms per stem.  Anemones’ petals are extremely delicate, but beautiful to watch furl and unfurl around their black or yellow fringed centers as they burst open towards the light, creating beautiful gestural lines.

 

 

Anemones make a stunning statement in bouquets and arrangements, thanks to their wide, deep centers and pastel or jewel-toned petals.  If you’re looking into a black-and-white wedding, anemones are one of the few flowers with true black centers that bring an impactful pop to a white bouquet or arrangement.

No matter your style or color scheme, incorporating anemones into your décor will bring drama, detail, and elegance to any ceremony or reception.