Thalictrum thalictroides (Rue Anemone): Minnesota Wildflowers

Thalictrum thalictroides (Rue Anemone)

Plant Info
Also known as:	Meadowrue
Genus:	Thalictrum
Family:	Ranunculaceae (Buttercup)
Life cycle:	perennial
Origin:	native
Habitat:	part shade, shade; woods
Bloom season:	April - June
Plant height:	4 to 8 inches
USDA PLANTS database:	Minnesota county distribution map
Spotted in Ramsey County at:	Battle Creek Regional Park Vadnais/Snail Lake Regional Park

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Detailed Information

Flower:

Flowers are in groups of 2 to 6 in a whorl at the end of the main stem. Individual flowers are ½ to 1 inch across with 5 to 8 petal-like sepals, a green center, and numerous yellow-tipped stamens. The “petals” are rounded or notched at the tip. Flower color is usually white, sometimes pink.

Leaves:

There is a whorl of 5 to 8 leaves growing just below the flowers, as well as basal leaves in 3 groups of 3. Individual leaves have 3 shallow rounded lobes or notched tips, are about 1 inch long and on a stem up to 5 inches long.

Fruit:

Seed pods are oval, about ¼ inch long and are ribbed.

Notes:

The flowers of Rue Anemone, Wood Anemone and Canada Anemone are all similar and they may all be in bloom around the same time, but the leaves are distinctly different enough to avoid confusing them. Canada Anemone is also a much taller plant and blooms into the summer.

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More photos

Photos taken at Wild River State Park, Center City, MN May-June 2007

Comments

Have you seen this plant in Minnesota, or have any other comments about it?

Posted by: Amber in Hennepin County-Minnetonka
on: 2010-04-11 16:10:26

Found at a park in Minnetonka near Minnetonka Blvd/Hopkins Crossroads on April 11.

Posted by: Nancy in Rochester
on: 2010-04-15 17:22:37

I found a couple of clumps in my wooded backyard in Rochester. I thought it was a snow drop at first, but a friend directed me to this site after a posted my picture on Facebook.

Posted by: Gretchen in Prior Lake, MN
on: 2010-04-18 21:52:02

Found loads of these in both pink and white at Crystal Lake park and Murphy Hanrehan park in Prior Lake on April 18.

Posted by: lylly in isle, mn
on: 2010-10-02 16:19:12

very butfull up close

Posted by: Jess in Lake City
on: 2011-05-11 21:01:59

We have several of these growing in our backyard. We live on the noth side of a hill.

Posted by: Al in Vadnais Heights
on: 2011-05-13 14:52:52

Found near Willow Lake. Also found Carex pensylvanica blooming nearby.

Posted by: Linda in Dakota County
on: 2011-07-15 13:41:01

There are large colonies of these in the woods across the road from our home in South St Paul. I also rescued some from a construction site a few years ago and transplanted them to my shady garden, where they've really taken off nicely. They're one of my favorite spring wildflowers.