Chinese anemone vs Japanese anemone

Chinese anemone and Japanese anemone are often considered for the same spot in the garden (flowers). The data below shows where they differ: size, hardiness, care, toxicity and price.

Chinese anemone

Anemone hupehensis 75 cm × 45 cm after 10 years

A perennial that flowers in pink or white from late summer until the first frosts, bringing colour when most of the border has finished. It does…

Perennial

Full sun

Part shade

from about PLN 20

Japanese anemone

Anemone × hybrida 1 m × 1 m after 10 years

A perennial that flowers from late summer into autumn, when most borders are winding down: white or pink blooms float on slender stems and look best…

Perennial

Part shade

Full sun

from about PLN 20

Key differences

Japanese anemone grows larger: 1 m × 1 m after ten years, against 75 cm × 45 cm for Chinese anemone (an estimate: sources differ).

Which one to choose?

Chinese anemone is the better choice if space is tight.

Watch out for

Chinese anemone

The foliage scorches in hot, dry sun, and without watering it struggles in the dry summers of Central Europe. It does not tolerate waterlogged soil in winter, and young plants can be lost in their first winter or two during hard frost without snow cover, so plant in spring and mulch with leaves for the first winters. Powdery mildew, leaf spot, rust and foliar nematodes may appear, and slugs eat the new shoots. Once established it spreads by root runners, and it dislikes being moved.

Japanese anemone

In the hot, dry summers of Central Europe the foliage burns in full sun and the plant declines without watering. It does not tolerate waterlogged soil in winter. Leaf spot, powdery and downy mildew, nematodes and slugs occur occasionally, and tall cultivars may need staking in windy spots. Once established it spreads strongly and resprouts from root pieces left in the ground.

The data side by side

Feature	Chinese anemone	Japanese anemone
Group	Perennial	Perennial
Size after 10 years	75 cm × 45 cm	1 m × 1 m (uncertain)
Ultimate size	45–80 cm × 30–45 cm	0.6–1.2 m × 0.6–1.2 m (uncertain)
Growth rate	Medium (uncertain)	Medium (uncertain)
Light	Full sun, Part shade	Part shade, Full sun
Soil	Average garden soil, Clay, Calcareous	Average garden soil, Clay, Calcareous
Hardiness	down to -34 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)	down to -34 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)
Heat tolerance	Low	Medium (uncertain)
Foliage	Deciduous	Deciduous
Flowering	August–October, pink, white	August–October, white, pink
Water need	Medium	Medium
Drought tolerance	Low	Low
Maintenance	Low	Low
Planting distance	45 cm	50 cm
For dogs	Mildly toxic (uncertain)	Mildly toxic (uncertain)
For cats	Mildly toxic (uncertain)	Mildly toxic (uncertain)
For children	Mildly toxic	Mildly toxic (uncertain)
Typical price	approx. PLN 21	approx. PLN 20

Prices are rounded, indicative values. Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor. Data updated: October 17, 2026

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