Minnesota Wildflowers


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Anemone quinquefolia (Wood Anemone)

Plant Info
Also known as: Nightcaps
Genus:Anemone
Family:Ranunculaceae (Buttercup)
Life cycle:perennial
Origin:native
Habitat:shade; woods
Bloom season:April - June
Plant height:4 to 8 inches
USDA PLANTS database:Minnesota county distribution map
Spotted in Ramsey County at:

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Detailed Information

Flower: 5-petals

[photo of flower] A single 1-inch wide flower rises above the leaves. Each flower has 4 to 9 sepals that look like petals, 5 is most common. Flower is usually white with a greenish-yellow center and many white stamens. It is occasionally pink. 

Leaves: whorl lobed

[photo of leaves] Whorls of 3 to 5 leaves; each leaf is about 1¼ inches long, lobed or deeply divided and has coarse rounded teeth. The leaves and stem are covered in fine hairs.

Notes:

Wood Anemone tends to grow in thick mats. A single plant may take 5 years or longer to flower, so often only a few flowers are seen among the leaves.

Where to buy native seed and plants

Help support this site by buying seeds & plants from these vendors. Tell them we sent you!

  • Shooting Star Native Seeds - Native Prairie Grass and Wildflower Seeds
  • Prairie Restorations - Bringing people together with the land
  • Shop for native seeds and plants at PrairieMoon.com!
  • Out Back Nursery and Landscaping - Where Ecology and Horticulture Unite

Map of native plant purveyors in the upper midwest

More photos

All photos taken at Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park, Coon Rapids, MN April 2007.

Comments

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

Posted by: Jill in Harris, Mn
on: 2011-05-08 16:32:58

Just west of Hwy 35 in the woods at a friends home. The patch is about 10ft area.

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