Have you tried asking at an Armstrong Nursery if they could special order Wild Swan from Monrovia for you? I suspect, though, that there was not an adequate supply from Monrovia to meet the first year release demand. The places I have seen them had only a few plants, and those sold quickly. They never got more in during the remainder of the season. It generally takes at least a few years for the growers to build up stock for new plants. And lovely Wild Swan seems to have drawn a lot of interest.
Most nurseries in Southern California sell anemones during this time of year, their bloom period. I'm not familiar with the nurseries located in your area; sorry I can't be of more help.

Thanks. Yes I did contact Monrovia and the Armstrong and other nurseries within driving distance, but no luck. In fact, they had no Japanese Anemones of any kind, did not know if they would get any in, and were unsure if they could special order them for me now. I was a bit surprised that no one seemed to have anything, since this seems like the time of year that I've noticed them in stock before. I will keep looking -- I'd really like to try my hand with Wild Swan and/or Hadspen Abundance if only I could find them -- but fear I'll have to wait until next year ...

I always thought anemones were some of the nicest flowers but the short bloom season always bothered me. Rouge- I wonder if next year yours will bloom for as long as christin's, maybe they need to experience a winter before going into blooming mode, I know some chrysanthemums won't bloom until they go through that vernalization.
The brown blooms might bug me a little after the flowers fade.... Also a pet peeve of mine. White butterfly bushes love to do this too.

'kato', I am very confident that if my 4 WS make it through their first winter that they will be outstanding ie.. early and long flowering anemones.

But this may well be a big IF as from what I know, WS has not been tested for winter hardiness much below 10F!

I am curious to see how this plant overwinters for all of you. It sure is lovely!

Deleted double post...grrr

This post was edited by ispahan on Fri, Oct 11, 13 at 10:06

I saw "Wild Swan" at the local nursery yesterday. Wasn't impressed with the growth habit in the pot - was looking a bit weedy, not nice tight mounded foliage like Japanese anemones. I do realize that sometimes plants look different in the ground, though. There were no blooms on any of them. I would have bought a pot or two just to try, but the price was $16.99 with only 20% off, that's too high for me to buy something just for the heck of it, to try. Anyway, I guess I can go back in a week or two if I'm in the area to see if they slash the price for end of the season. Otherwise, not this year.

I am curious to see how this plant overwinters for all of you

I planted 4 of these plants in mid June 2013. I did my best to mulch them significantly this past fall but even so I will be shocked if they do make it through this already very trying winter. Right now it shows -20 C (= -4 F) on the thermometer with this cold snap continuing for the foreseeable future. .

-Doug, please do let us know in spring how they did. I will be very interested in your findings.

Some leaves from the tree out front happened to gather around mine, but aside from that I didn't cover it. I'm going with the tough love approach to plant care, lol. ;-)
CMK

That must be pretty tall. What a show of flowers.

Now if we could hear from someone in a hotter part of the country (south maybe)? (I want to know how it does here) :)

CMK, with the temperature today at an almost record setting -11F there could be several "zone pushing" perennials and trees that will be in plant heaven come this spring.

Or on the bright side...any plant that survives this winter can survive any winter.

This post was edited by rouge21 on Fri, Jan 3, 14 at 14:25

-jujujojo, 'WIld Swan' is probably middle height as far as Anemones go. I'd say it was around 18in or so.

-dbarron, hopefully someone will have that info for you next year ;-) My gut instinct says this one probably wouldn't be to keen on hot/humid conditions though...

-Doug, I suppose there is some benefit in having plants die. Those of us with small or full yards will be able to see it as an opportunity to plant new things. LOL.
CMK

Mine too (that's why I asked)...and I liked the looks of it :)
Yeah, the winter is punishment for those of us in zone denial.

Love anemones, but haven't planted them here because of the usually brief bloomtime in my neck of the woods (3 weeks), so this report really caught my eye. Thanks for the heads-up! The long bloom, simple wildflower form & non-roving nature really add to its charm.

At the link below, found the new "Shop Monrovia" which allows online orders to be shipped for free to your local Monrovia dealer garden center for pick up, beginning early this year. This "Coming Soon" link is at the top left of the page. Their "find a retailer" shows that they've recently (whenever that may have been) delivered pots of White Swan to a local center, but don't like that particular outfit. Nice to know I should be able to have it shipped to another business I do appreciate. May answer the where to buy question for many of us intrigued by this variety.

Listed for zones 6-8 on that site, but I take their recommendations with a good dose of salt since they're usually very conservative on that score. Also noted "partial shade to partial sun" & wondering if, like hydrangeas, more shade than noonday sun applies here as you move further South?

With luck, will be trying it here come Spring...

Here is a link that might be useful: Wild Swan

Bought one more to try. It is a better time of year to plant and there was a 20% off coupon to use. I worried a bit about that the 6-8 zone listed (I am in z9), but A. Honorine Jobert is listed at zone 4-8 and thrived at our old house. We'll see.

Shop Monrovia isn't showing Wild Swan available - drat. Trying to find another mailorder supplier, came across this info indicating zones 5-9. Get the feeling this hasn't been widely grown yet across the USA...

Hope those who've planted them previously enjoy their survival through this harsh Winter. Let us know. Anyone finding a dependable American supplier, please share.

Here is a link that might be useful: Wild Swan Info

My new Wild Swan seems to be much happier. I planted it among some bromeliads, where the morning sun gives way to bright, dappled shade and the soil retains more moisture. It also probably helps that it isn't late in the season and right before a heat wave, as were the circumstances with the first plant.

So three of my 4 WS did survive their first winter (I have already replaced the dead one).

The 3 that did survive are vigorous and appear healthy but narry a bloom or even a flower bud in sight (just as was the case last season)!

CMK, I am almost afraid to ask if yours have begun to flower again.

'Gyr' maybe/probably yours has been flowering for some time now given the much more moderate climate.

This post was edited by rouge21 on Sun, Jun 8, 14 at 22:40

-Doug, not to worry, my plant is nowhere near blooming!

It is smaller than it was at the end of last season too. Looks more like the size it was when first purchased that spring.

This winter was a difficult one on my garden (lost a number of things), so it might have been stunted by that. Last year it didn't really "get going" until summer, so maybe it will do the same this time around.

Just how robust are yours? Similar to your pic from last year or bigger?

Regarding not blooming...do you use a fertilizer? If so, how high is the nitrogen? A phosphorus high fertilizer might help promote blooming.
CMK

The two plants close to the foundation of the house are as large as they were at the end of last season. I am not concerned that the health of the soil; lots of organic material. They are side by side in this picture, each about 14" high by about 18" wide.

Mine hasn't bloomed yet. In fact, it look about the same as it did in the April photo. The nearby experimental Grevillea x gaudichaudi has far outpaced it, and I have to keep redirecting the blooming branches so Swannie doesn't get covered. So far I'm liking the grevillea better. [Just trying to nudge Swan into doing s-o-m-e-t-h-I-n-g. ;) ]

'Falcon be sure to let us know when it does put forth those wonderful flowers.

Today I notice what I surmise are flower buds.

Those do look like buds! Congrats ;-)
CMK

So two of my 3 WS will be in full bloom before July 1st. Take a look as of this morning. (One can see the light mauve which will be on the underside of the petals).

Do you see flower buds on your plants CMK and Falcon?

Nice!

My plant is looking a lot fuller now.

I thought I saw what would eventually become a bud the other day. It will likely be awhile before it develops...will keep you posted.
CMK

Not much going on with mine yet. Some additional foliage has filled in, and it is a few inches taller, but no buds to be seen.

As of today:

Update: well, I am not as impressed with it this year. The foliage is nice, but there is a severe decline in the amount of blooms.

I'm not sure if it was the hard winter that stunted him a bit, or something else.
CMK

Has anyone tried it in the SE US, with our wam humid summers? I have found that japanese anemones even, seem to grow more vigorously with cool nights (when I lived in Nebraska) vs the humid soup we have.

Good to hear from you CMK.

This is its second year in my garden but the first year of getting blooms and I am getting enough so that it remains in my good books for this year. (It took a bit getting used to seeing an Anemone rebloom.)

I did move one of my 4 to a different location a few weeks ago and it showed no transplant shock and I like the fact that it is more upright now. It seems to me that the stems on WS are not as sturdy as those of other JAnemone I have.

Another negative...the blue is less vibrant this year. You might even say "dingy", lol.

I thought it may be due to the hot temps, but the color hasn't improved with our sudden cool-down either. I wonder if pH has any bearing on the blue tones? Soil around here isn't acidic...

Pic below taken from today. The flower I'm holding is the bluest one there. The rest are practically as gray as my sweater sleeve!
CMK

Mine has improved a LOT since the temps cooled down a few weeks ago. Very floriferous and bold blue backsides!

So I'm changing my opinion and giving two thumbs up for 2nd year Wild Swan ;-)

Has anyone else noticed Elizabeth MacGregor's Nursery is now selling other versions of 'Wild Swan'? 'Ruffled Swan' is taller, semi-double, slighting ruffled. 'Dreaming Swan' is compact, fully double blooms (after initial first flush of single flowers). Both have the blue reverse like 'Wild Swan'.

Here is a link that might be useful: Anemones 'Ruffled Swan' & 'Dreaming Swan'

I had to laugh about the other names. My single Wild Swan plant may as well be named "You're dreaming if I'm going to produce any flowers Swan"... sigh So far, not a one.

That is interesting 'Falcon'. And your single plant has been in your garden for now 2 seasons? I ask as mine only bloomed in the second year.

I cant complain too much about the flowering of my three which have been in bloom since mid July or so but they are too floppy...much more than my other traditional Japanese Anemone. I will give them one more year to see if this aspect improves.

This particular Swan was planted in January, so maybe another year is needed. In Southern California, it is not typical for plants to take long to get established. The other anemone cultivars are blooming now; maybe this one is later seasonally.

Mine looks about the same it did last year as far as size goes. It's being very stingy with the bloom production though.

Not sure what is going on. I gave it a bit of fertilizer (both reg and high phosphorus) over the past couple months. Maybe it wasn't enough....

CMK

Hoping for an update on Wild Swan before becoming a test case in the humid SE...

vasue, I have one WS remaining in our garden. It has survived the last couple of winters w/o issue (although it is protected as it is close to our foundation and between 2 houses). With experience I can say that this plant is in the perfect location for our climate. It benefits from more shade than one might think. (Much direct afternoon sun and it wilts completely). I would strongly suspect that in Charlottesville, dappled shade at most all the time (the more water the less shade needed)?

Rouge, good to know that this has survived a couple of winters in a favorable spot in your garden. It's usually rated as zone 6 but sounds like it might worth trying some zone-pushing.

I went through about six in part sun and all wilted and died in Atlanta. I loved it while it lasted. I really want to try it again but wouldnt think about anything in afternoon sun and that wasn't moist soil.

Thanks so much for your thoughts, Rouge. Number of places Wild Swan might be tucked away in early morning sun before the dew evaporates & then dappled shade prevails the rest of the day. Cool & moist near a mossy pond bank on the edge of the woodlands where other semi-wildlings make their home. Point taken that favorable siting is crucial to any hope of success. Thanks for sharing your experience farther South, Sorren. Wish me luck!

I was browsing the internet for reviews and/or comments about Wild Swan and this thread came up. So I'll ask here.

I planted mine in the Spring of 2015 and still no blooms. The foliage seems healthy, hasn't wilted despite this past hot summer, but not as full as I see in photos posted here. There is even new growth coming from the center. However, no blooms. It is in semi shade until 2pm. and then gets full sun for several hours. Good soil with leaf mulch. I'm wondering if I should move it and try again somewhere else, but I'd hate to lose it altogether. I don't even think nurseries here are carrying it anymore, perhaps other gardeners did not have success with it here in NE Ohio.

The foliage seems healthy, hasn't wilted despite this past hot summer,

I am surprised about this as mine is very sensitive to heat and lack of moisture.

Give it another season.

There are quite a few variations on anemone rupicola - I have the taller 'Ruffled Swan' which has been blooming away happily for weeks. A decent plant but honestly, the fuss and hoohah which surrounded it (including the untoward secrecy of its parentage). I am getting a little fed up with the enormous singsong and marketing spiel around various plants - they are just plants.

Remember Blue Lagoon - the (ahem) blue verbascum...which quietly vanished from all inventories. And the extraordinary reception so many of those dud echinaceas got in the garden media...none of which came to fruition in our gardens.

"I am getting a little fed up with the enormous singsong and marketing spiel around various plants - they are just plants."

Getting fed up? I've been fed up...

"Rouge, good to know that this has survived a couple of winters in a favorable spot in your garden"

UPDATE:

No more WS in this guy's garden :(. (This last one did not return).

Thanks for the update, Rouge. There is a reason I usually don't buy new plant offerings; they often aren't thoroughly enough tested, especially for cold zones, and I am too frugal to want to spend $18 on an annual. This one sounds like another flash in the pan, perhaps good in a few areas, but generally not a great garden plant in many areas. Makes me think of some of those early red Coreopsis hybrids that didn't survive well either.