Common Name:

General Information

Anemone nikoensis is a herbaceous, perennial plant producing erect, unbranched stems 6 - 30cm tall from a slender rhizome. The plant spreads by means of the rhizome and is capable of forming large clumps of growth[].
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a food. It is often grown as an ornamental in gardens.

Known Hazards

Although no specific mention has been seen for this species, many members of this genus contain protoanemonin, an irritating acrid oil that is an enzymatic breakdown product of the glycoside ranunculin. While protoanemonin can cause severe topical and gastrointestinal irritation, it is unstable and changes into harmless anemonin when plants are dried or heated[, , , , ].

Botanical References

,

Range

E. Asia - central and southern Japan

Habitat

Woods in foothills58].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.20 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in ordinary garden soil but prefers a moist well-drained humus-rich soil[, ]. Tolerates dry summer conditions[].
This species is closely related to A. Nemerosa[].
Plants seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits[].
A greedy plant, inhibiting the growth of nearby plants, especially legumes[].

Edible Uses

Leaves - cooked[]. Some caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity.

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe in the summer[]. Surface sow or only just cover the seed and keep the soil moist. Sow stored seed as soon as possible in late winter or early spring. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 6 months at 15°c[]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in light shade in the greenhouse for at least their first year. When the plants are large enough, plant them out in the spring.
Division in late summer after the plant dies down.