History.
Alexander von Humboldt
Our gardens are always good for a surprise. For many plants in our gardens which are so common today originally come from different regions of the world and were already imported some hundred years ago. Their history is associated with names like Alexander von Humboldt, Adalbert von Chamisso or Phillip Franz von Siebold. The enquiring mind of those scientists was limitless and they started to explore continents like America or Asia. To measure out and to specify almost everything they saw.
We can hardly comprehend the enthusiasm of the people when new and by then unknown species of plants arrived in Europe for the first time. Botany became popular and botanic gardens started to boom.
Many of the new plants found fast spreading in the gardens. Thus we owe to the Japan traveller Philipp Franz von Siebold (doctor and plant hunter, 1796 - 1866) many plants which are not to be imagined as not existing in our gardens today. E.g. Hydrangeas (Hydrangea), Funkia (Hosta), Clematis, Magnolias (Magnolia sieboldii), to different Lilies (Lilium), or the Japanese Anemone belong to it.
The Japanese Anemones.
Anemone Japonica. 'Flora Japonica' (published by Siebold in 1835)
Anemone vitifolia
Anemone hupehensis
On his trip through Japan (from 1823 to 1829) Philipp Franz von Siebold discovered an Anemone unknown till then. Incorrectly he held it for a local plant and described it in his book 'Flora Japonica' (published in 1835) under the name Anemone Japonica. The first plants reached to England, Holland and France after some years. Breeders started to hybridize it with a native white-flowering species called 'Anemone vitifolia'. In the course of the following years many hybrids where grown and many of them can still be found in our gardens today.
Much more later some botanists recognized that all Japanese Anemones existing today are descended, in the end, from two native forms: the pink blossoming 'Anemone hupehensis' and the abovementioned 'Anemone vitifolia'. Both come originally, nevertheless, not from Japan, but from the Himalayas and the central West-China. And also the Anemone japonica described by Siebold is a variety (var.) of 'Anemone hupehensis' coming from China. Therefore, the correct botanical name of Anemone japonica is 'Anemone hupehensis var. japonica'.
Anemone japonica
'Honorine Joubert'.
Anemone japonica 'Honorine Joubert'
Anemone japonica 'Honorine Joubert'
Anemone japonica 'Honorine Joubert' - leaf
Anemone japonica "Honorine Jobert"- seeds
One of the oldest hybrids of the Japanese-Anemones is Anemone japonica 'Honorine Joubert'. It is presumably a mutation by chance. It has originated in the market garden of Messier Joubert in Verdun-sur-Meuse in 1858 . Messier Joubert called the Anemone after his daughter and spread it under the name 'Honorine Joubert'.
Nomenclature.
Family: Ranunculaceae, buttercup family
Genius: Anemone
Species: hupehensis var. japonica
Cultivar: Honorine Joubert
Cultivation and use for gardening.
It has its good reasons, why the autumn-flowering Anemone 'Honorine Joubert' is to be found in our gardens for more than 150 years . Since it is a distinct beauty among the garden flowers. And robustly, easy-growing and long-lasting on top of that.
The plant spreads slowly by short runners from year to year and can reach up to one metre of diameter. Their flower stalks are a good one metre high. At the upper end appear the purely white and about 5 cm large blossoms. 'Honorine Joubert' richly blossoms from the outgoing summer to the middle of autumn. Just for the autumnal garden if the flower fullness decreases slowly it is of big horticultural value. Combined with shrubs or trees with coloured autumn foliage or in front of dark green conifers Anemone 'Honorine Joubert' unfolds its full effect. After the blossom attractive cotton-like fruits develop in late autumn and beginning winter.
In terms of soil its modest. Best results will be achieved in a light rich in humus soil. In partial shade or a sunny place it thrives very well. Manuring in spring guarantees opulent blooming in autumn. With ground dryness it should be poured. Apart from Anemone japonica 'Honorine Joubert' needs no care. As a hardy perennial herb it can become old decades.