Arranging Anemone Flowers

Known for their bold colors and striking black eyes, anemones are a favorite for arrangements, even with their reputation as a temperamental flower. We turned to floral design experts for tips on working with these mercurial beauties and found that with proper care, anemone flowers can be enjoyed for a week or more in an arrangement.

Like tulips, anemones continue to grow after they are cut. You may need to adjust the flowers in an arrangement or even cut them again. Some designers recommend cutting about a third of an inch off of the stems every day for easier water absorption.

Start with fresh flowers. In The Encyclopedia of Cut Flowers (Black Dog & Leventhal, 2023), Calvert Crary of FlowerSchool New York shares the following tip for choosing fresh anemones. “The telltale sign of freshness is how close the flower is to the frilled green skirt on the stem beneath the flower. If the skirt is ½ inch from the flower, they will tend to be fresh. If the flower is more than 1 inch above the skirt, they probably have been sitting around for a while.”

Anemone stems are delicate. Scott Shepherd, florist and host of The Flower Podcast, notes that “When processing anemones, using a knife is preferred. The hollow stems can be crushed with clippers or scissors.” Their stems make anemones best suited to arrangements with a floral frog or wire mechanics. Scott adds, “If you have stems that need some extra support in your floral design, you can gently place a wire or pipe cleaner into the hollow stem to strengthen it.”

This time-lapse video shows how anemone flower blossoms open and close in response to light and temperature changes. Click to watch.

Anemones are nyctinastic, meaning they can open and close, and even curve their stem depending on light and temperature. They often close at night or on cloudy days and when temperatures drop. Keep this in mind and leave room for closed flowers to open in your arrangement. If your anemones are tightly closed and you want them to open up quickly, cut the stems and place them in warm water and a sunny location.

Scott reminds us that the flowers respond to heat as well. “The warmer anemones are, the faster they open, so keep them cool if you’re trying to extend their shelf life.” Keeping small arrangements in the refrigerator overnight can extend their vase life. In a warm room, you can only expect anemones to last up to five days.

Anemones drink lots of water. Be sure your container has plenty of water and keep it fresh for long-lasting flowers. For best results, most designers recommend changing the water and trimming the stems every other day. If your flowers get dry and water-stressed, you may be able to revive them by submerging the blossoms in cool water for about 30 minutes.

Scott adds, “Last but not least, ENJOY! Anemones are a wonderful spring flower worth enjoying all season long.”

Anemone Flower Arrangements

We gathered some of the most popular anemone arrangements from the pages of FLOWER Magazine to inspire your creations.

Dark purple and rich red scabiosa combined with maroon hellebores mix well with the Levante Rosa anemone’s hot pink petals in this Lewis Miller composition, creating a beautiful hombre effect.

A vase filled with purple blossoms of anemones and muscari arranged by Christina Springfield of Nouveau Events and Flowers lounges by the pool. 

Sybil Sylvester pairs the Levante Rosa anemone with delphiniums, astilbe, alchemillas, roses, hellebores, and tweedia for a ladylike arrangement.

Butter Wakefield fills her beloved lusterware pitcher with hot pink anemones for this holiday centerpiece.

Ariella Chezar’s spring awakening arrangement was inspired by anemones. “I am a fool for flowers that shade from one color to another in a single blossom. A good example of this is the marvelous black-eyed anemone, pictured here, that shades from pale pink to purple to white. The contrast of the black center with such soft petal colors is startling.”

For a spring arrangement in purples and greens, Heather Barrie of Gathering Floral & Event Design combines anemones, delphiniums, hyacinths, lisianthus, nigella pods, and viburnum.

Willow Crossley filled antique ceramic spice boxes with simple arrangements of Japanese anemones that complement their lilac-colored mantel perch.

At event designer Cassie LaMere’s New Year’s Eve wedding, petite arrangements of white flowers, including anemones, were tucked among the crystal and candlelight.

Floral designer Mary Pinson flowered this collection of blue-and-white porcelain with arrangements of butterfly ranunculus, thistle, anemones, rice flowers, antique hydrangeas, roses, strawflower, light blue delphinium, and brown Queen Anne’s lace.

A simple blue-and-white vase filled with fiery red anemones and parrot tulips glows on the green bedside table in Veronica Solomon’s bedroom at our Baton Rouge Showhouse. 

With a combination of violet anemones, agapanthus, hyacinths, hydrangeas, yellow tulips, roses, and ranunculus, Mimi Brown’s “planted flower garden” arrangement is perfect for spring or summer.

Warm your heart and hearth with this wreath of red ‘Mona Lisa’ anemone blossoms with tulips and woven berry vines, finished with coppery candles.

By Jason Burnett

MORE ABOUT THE 2025 FLOWER OF THE YEAR AND ANEMONES

• Introducing Our 2025 Flower of the Year!

• A Muse in Bloom: Lewis Miller and Sybil Sylvester Create Arrangements with Levante Rosa Anemones
• Blush Crush: We’re seeing this soft shade of pink in the Flower of the Year plus furniture and accessories.
• Video: How to Make our March/April 2025 Cover Arrangement
• Anemone Fun Facts and Folklore
• Video: A Study in Coral and Blush
• Anemone Varieties for the Garden