North American Wood Anemone Information:
- Scientific Name: Anemone quinquefolia
- Common Name: North American Wood Anemone, Wild Anemone, Wood Anemone
- Origin: North America
- Current Status: Wildflower in North America, a close relative of Anemone nemorosa (European wood anemone)
Identification
North American Wood Anemones are often confused with Wood Sorrel. The easy difference is that Wood Sorrel has clover-like leaves.
No Petals, All Sepals
Most flowers have a combination of sepals and petals, the wild anemone has only sepals and no petals at all.
Slow Growing Roots
Wood anemones spread through their root systems rather than seeds and large patches of flowers indicate a very old forest.
Native to the North
Wood anemones are native to North America and grow from Canada through Alabama.
Shady Tree Sights
North American wood anemones love to grow by trees because the leaves fertilize the soil around where they grow, not to mention, the shade!
Long Grow Times
North American wood anemones can take up to 5 years to flower from seed.
Additional North American Wood Anemone Facts:
- Wood or wild anemones refer to the same plant in New England (typically).
- It is extremely difficult to transplant these wildflowers into a garden setting.
- When wild anemones bloom in old forests it attracts hundreds to thousands of bees & butterflies at a time (quite a sight!).
- More information about wood anemones, the Wildflower Center has great content!