The Urban Permaculture Farm Magazine

excerpt from NordicFlowers.com

Anemone ~ Anemone (pro-nounced / •n•m•ni• /) is a genus of about 120 species of flowering plants in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae. Natives of the Northern and Southern temperate zones, they are closely related to the Pulsatilla and Hepatica families. Some botanists include both of these genera within that of Anemone. The word itself traces back to the Greek, and anemone means “daughter of the wind”, from anemos “wind” and the feminine suffix “-one”.

Anemone Windflower ~ Anemone sylvestris, more commonly known as the anemone windflower, is a cool season perennial. It grows throughout Europe, especially in Northern European countries and the mountains of Central and Eastern Europe, Asia and the Caucasus. The Anemone windflower is found in the wild in shady forests spots. It blooms in April or early May, and has white cup-shaped flowers with yellow anthers. The flowers grow on stalks above the green and deeply lobed leaves, with a weak but fragrant smell.

Windflower ~ Both Europeans and the native peoples of North America had their own applications. Generally, it was used topically to treat inflammation and blisters, since the Windflower can help drive out build up fluids in an area, making it useful for rheumatism, joint pain, and swollen skin. Some folk traditions used it as a means of fighting freckles, though modern medicine no longer recommends it due to its tendency to irritate skin. While some say redness on the skin is a sign the flower is working, others prefer to simply admire the flower from afar or take the time to capture it on film.