Very like A. apennina but with stouter tubers and blunter leaves that are glabrous beneath, sometimes flushed with violet. Flowers generally larger, 3-4.5cm wide, white, pink, blue, mauve or purple, sometimes bicoloured, with usually 12-18 petals. Achenes borne in a nodding head. Rocky places, scrub and open woodland, in mountain habitats, Balkans eastwards to Turkey. One of the most commonly cultivated anemones and one of the earliest to flower in the garden. Once established the plant can form extensive colonies by seeding about freely. Many nurseries and garden centres offer mixed colours but they often turn out to be pale forms scarcely worth cultivating. However, the named cultivars with brighter colours and larger flowers are well worth spending a little extra money on. Of these the following are especially good: 'Atrocaerulea', dark blue; 'Blue Mist', pale blue; 'Blue Pearl', 'Charmer', 'Pink Star', mid-pink, 'Radar', rich pink with a white centre; 'Violet Star' and 'White Splendour', excepdonally large, pure white.
a, A. blanda; b, A. narcissifolia; c, A. obtusiloba;
