Blue Anemone

Blue anemones are pubescent plants that have leafy stems with pinnate leaves. Pubescent meaning that the plant is covered in hairs, while pinnate leaves area kind of compound leaf with multiple leaflets. Blue anemones have 2-3 leaflets per leaf (as can be seen in the image on the right). The leaves are lobed and dark green, growing off of reddish-brown stems. The plant can grow up to 20 cm tall and produces light blue flowers that have around 10-15 sepals. The plant is rhizomatous, meaning that it creates  rhizomes underground which grow horizontally through the soil. These rhizomes send out roots and shoots, creating genetically identical plants. Rhizomes are also used for storage of starch and other nutrients, which can be helpful during the winter when the parts of the plant that are above ground die off during winter.

Blue anemones are native to the south of central Europe in countries such as Italy, Bulgaria and Albania. However, naturalised populations can be found in the UK, France, Sweden and Belgium. They like to grow in temperate  climates and often grow in shaded areas such as under trees.