I think the Japanese Anemones need to be in zones 4-8. They need quite a bit of moisture too, so Houston is not really a good location for them. But I would visit a local nursery and ask them. They might be able to tell you about a certain variety that they have had success with that is tolerant of zone 9.

Wish I could be more helpful.

Patti

Well, thanks anyway! I will talk to someone at the nursery. We get plenty of rain here...but it may be too warm for them.

P

I grow them and it gets plenty hot here. They just need shade, and maybe a bit of leaf removal after super hot spells. I pulled mine out since they spread so much but I was just on vacation and saw a different variety with more double flowers and smaller foliage. The nice people let me take a seedling so hopefully I will have some next summer.

Pattioh- I grew up in Houston. There are 10' drainage ditches in most areas to deal with the heavy rains, inhabited by craw-dads. I remember people rowing boats around during some rains in my childhood. At my elementary school the patrols carried the kindergarteners across the street because of the deep water. lol

I live in the PNW where there is no rain during the summer and don't water much, and my JA do fine. They also spread invasively, and several are in the root zone of a rare and delicate Abelia of mine, and I'm wondering how to get them out without damaging the Abelia. Maybe I should just cut them off or try to pull them out, but I might wait until frost.

Mine get into everything, too, but they bloom and bloom so nicely. They are still going strong in my back yard.

Thanks y'all! I will check and see if I can find any for sale and see what local nurseries say about growing them here. I would really like to have some if I can possibly grow them.