At this point I feel like nearly half the pictures I take these days are of flowers, with hopes google, or some other AI will help me identify it.
While I like the ease of identification google lens offers, Claude AI gives some very informative answers, in this case I asked it simply if it could identify the flower in my photograph… and look what all it shared with me. (Yes google lens identified it as the same flower, increasing my confidence in a correct identification.)
The flower in the photograph appears to be a Japanese anemone (Anemone hupehensis). It has the characteristic single row of pink petals surrounding a center of yellow stamens and a green center. The flower has five delicate, slightly overlapping petals in a soft pink color. Japanese anemones are known for their simple yet elegant blooms and are popular late-summer to fall-blooming perennials in many gardens.
In the background, you can see another flower bud and some foliage typical of the Japanese anemone plant. There’s also a glimpse of what looks like a blue container or gardening implement, suggesting this may be a cultivated garden setting.
Yes, this flower has several common names. It’s often called:
- Japanese Anemone
- Windflower
- Thimbleweed
- Chinese Anemone
“Japanese Anemone” is probably the most widely used common name for this flower. The name “Windflower” comes from the Greek word “anemos,” meaning wind, as the delicate blooms are said to open in response to the autumn breezes. “Thimbleweed” refers to the shape of the seed head that forms after the petals fall off, which resembles a thimble.
Despite being called “Japanese” Anemone, this particular species actually originates from central China, which is why it’s sometimes also referred to as “Chinese Anemone.”