Canada anemone
(Anemonastrum canadense)
Conservation • Wetland • Description • Habitat • Ecology • Use • Distribution • Taxonomy
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Description |
Canada anemone is an erect, perennial, 8″ to 32″ tall forb. It rises from the top of a persistent woody base (caudex) of an aerial shoot. The caudices rise from a node at or near the end of an ascending to horizontal, underground stem (rhizome). Each plant produces a whorl of 1 to 5 basal leaves and a flowering stem. Basal leaves are on 3″ to 8½″ long leaf stalks (petioles). The petioles are light green, round in cross section, and hairy. The leaf blades are circular in outline, 1½″ to 4″ long, and 2″ to 6″ wide. They are deeply divided into 3 primary lobes. The lateral two lobes are deeply divided into two secondary lobes. The terminal primary lobe and the lateral secondary lobes are lance-shaped or inversely lance-shaped, and ⅜″ to 1 3 ⁄16″ wide. The upper surface is medium to dark green and is sparsely covered with straight, silky, somewhat appressed hairs. The lower surface is pale green and sparsely to moderately hairy. The margins of each lobe are undivided and untoothed near the base, toothed with sharp, forward pointing teeth and shallowly to deeply cut on the terminal ½ to ⅔″. A single flowering stem rises from the caudex at the middle of the whorl of basal leaves. The stem is erect, light green, unbranched, and round in cross section. Below the middle it is sparsely covered with fine short hairs (puberulent) and long, soft, shaggy but unmatted hairs (villous). Toward the top it is densely villous. At the top of the flowering stem there is a whorl of 3 leaves. The stem leaves are stalkless. The leaf blades are inversely triangular in outline, 1 3 ⁄16″ to 4″ long, and otherwise similar to basal leaves. The inflorescence is 1 central and sometimes 1 or 2 lateral flowers rising from the whorl of basal leaves at the end of the stem. Each flower is solitary at the end of a long flower stalk (pedicel). The pedicels are 3″ to 4½″ long, light green, round in cross section, and hairy. The lateral pedicels, if any, have a pair of leaf-like appendages (bracts). The central pedicel does not. Each flower is 1″ to 1½″ in diameter. There are no petals, 4 to 6 (usually 5) petal-like sepals, and 80 to 100 stamens with yellow anthers. The sepals are white, inversely egg-shaped, ⅜″ to ¾″ long, and 3 ⁄16″ to ⅝″ wide. The infructescence is a dense, globe-shaped or egg-shaped fruiting head. The fruit is an inversely egg-shaped to ellipse-shaped, ⅛″ to ¼″ long, ⅛″ to ¼″ wide seed capsule (achene). There is a persistent style (beak) but no tuft of hairs at the end of the achene. |
Height |
8″ to 32″ |
Flower Color |
White |
Similar Species |
Wood anemone (Anemone quinquefolia var. quinquefolia) is a shorter plant, no more than 8″ tall. The leaves on the flowering stalk are stalked. The plant is found in shaded woods, not sunny meadows and prairies. |
Habitat |
Wet to moderate moisture. Meadows, prairies, lake shores, streamsides. Full to partial sun. |
Ecology |
Flowering |
May to August |
Pests and Diseases |
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Use |
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Distribution |
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Sources |
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| 5/16/2025 | ||
Nativity |
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Native |
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Occurrence |
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Very common |
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Taxonomy |
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Kingdom |
Plantae (green algae and land plants) |
Subkingdom |
Viridiplantae (green plants) |
Infrakingdom |
Streptophyta (land plants and green algae) |
Superdivision |
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Division |
Tracheophyta (vascular plants) |
Subdivision |
Spermatophytina (seed plants) / Angiospermae (flowering plants) |
Class |
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Superorder |
Ranunculanae |
Order |
Ranunculales (buttercups, poppies, and allies) |
Family |
Ranunculaceae (buttercups) |
Subfamily |
Ranunculoideae (anemones, buttercups, larkspurs and allies) |
Tribe |
Anemoneae (anemones and allies) |
Genus |
Anemonastrum |
Genus Acceptance of the realignment has been far from universal. GBIF, NatureServe, Plants of the World Online, World Flora Online, and iNaturalist use the name Anemonastrum canadense. ITIS, NCBI, GRIN, USDA PLANTS, BONAP, and Flora of North America use the name Anemone canadensis. |
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Subordinate Taxa |
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Synonyms |
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Aiolon canadense Anemone canadensis Anemone dichotoma var. canadensis Anemone pensylvanica Anemonidium canadense Nemorosa canadensis |
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Common Names |
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Canada anemone Canadian anemone meadow anemone |
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Glossary
Achene
A dry, one-chambered, single-seeded seed capsule, formed from a single carpel, with the seed attached to the membranous outer layer (wall) only by the seed stalk; the wall, formed entirely from the wall of the superior ovary, does not split open at maturity, but relies on decay or predation to release the contents.
Beak
A comparatively short and stout, narrow or prolonged tip on a thickened organ, as on some fruits and seeds.
Bract
Modified leaf at the base of a flower stalk, flower cluster, or inflorescence.
Caudex
A short, thickened, woody, persistent enlargement of the stem, at or below ground level, used for water storage.
Node
The small swelling of the stem from which one or more leaves, branches, or buds originate.
Pedicel
On plants: the stalk of a single flower in a cluster of flowers. On insects: the second segment of the antennae. On Hymenoptera and Araneae: the narrow stalk connecting the thorax to the abdomen: the preferred term is petiole.
Petiole
On plants: The stalk of a leaf blade or a compound leaf that attaches it to the stem. On ants and wasps: The constricted first one or two segments of the rear part of the body.
Rhizome
A horizontal, usually underground stem. It serves as a reproductive structure, producing roots below and shoots above at the nodes.
Sepal
An outer floral leaf, usually green but sometimes colored, at the base of a flower.
Villous
Covered with long, soft, fine, shaggy but unmatted hairs.
Visitor Photos |
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Luciearl |
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Kirk Nelson |
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Seen by the trails around Snelling Lake and by the paved trail along the Minnesota River |
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Barbara Dodge |
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It is just the most amazing little prairie reserve. |
Wayne Rasmussen |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos |
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Habitat |
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Plant |
Plant |
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Inflorescence |
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Flower |
Flower |
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Infructescence |
Infructescence |
Slideshows |
Time Lapse--Canada Anemone |
About
Uploaded on Jun 3, 2009 Time-lapse of Anemone plant growing in Nichols Park, Chicago. Photographed and assembled by Tyler Kerr for a class on prairie ecology. |
Visitor Videos |
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Other Videos |
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Canada Anemone (Anemone canadensis) |
About
Uploaded on Jun 8, 2010 http://www.prairiemoon.com - A lush patch of Canada Anemone; Anemone canadensis at Prairie Moon Nursery. |
Anemone Canada |
About
Published on Jul 24, 2013 No description available. |
John Latimer Phenology Note - Canada Anemone |
About
Uploaded on Jul 20, 2009 KAXE Phenologist John Latimer talks about Canada Anemone. This is the first of what we hope to be many updates from John about the nature around us. We'll probably get better at it the more we do it...? John Latimer does a weekly Phenology Report every Thursday morning on KAXE. |
Visitor Sightings |
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| Luciearl 7/4/2019 |
Location: Lake Shore, Cass County |
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| Kirk Nelson 6/8/2017 |
Location: Crosby Farm Regional Park |
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| Barbara Dodge 5/30/2017 |
Location: Riverwalk, Lowertown, St. Paul It is just the most amazing little prairie reserve. |
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| Kirk Nelson 5/29/2017 |
Location: Fort Snelling State Park Seen by the trails around Snelling Lake and by the paved trail along the Minnesota River |
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| Wayne Rasmussen 5/30/2016 |
Location: Maplewood Nature Center |
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David Ayer |
Location: Joseph A. Tauer Prairie SNA |
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings |
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Created: 7/3/2004 Last Updated: © MinnesotaSeasons.com. All rights reserved. |