Enemion biternatum (False Rue Anemone)
| Also known as: | |
|---|---|
| Genus: | Enemion |
| Family: | Ranunculaceae (Buttercup) |
| Life cycle: | perennial |
| Origin: | native |
| Habitat: | part shade, shade; deciduous woods |
| Bloom season: | April - May |
| Plant height: | 4 to 16 inches |
| Wetland Indicator Status: | GP: FAC MW: FAC NCNE: FAC |
| MN county distribution (click map to enlarge): |  |
| National distribution (click map to enlarge): |  |
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Detailed Information
Flower: 
![[photo of flowers]](/udata/r9ndp23q/white/false-rue-anemone_0504_131905.jpg)
Flowers are ½ to ¾ inch across, 5 white petal-like sepals and numerous yellow stamens. There are 1 to a few flowers on stems that arise from the leaf axils in the upper part of the plant.
Leaves and stem:
![[photo of leaves]](/udata/r9ndp23q/white/false-rue-anemone_0504_131755.jpg)
Basal and stem leaves are similar and 2 or 3 times compound in groups of 3. Leaflets are to 1 inch long and wide, toothless, hairless, and deeply lobed into 2 or 3 parts, with each lobe notched or further divided and a minute point at the tip of each lobe. Basal leaves are long stalked, stem leaves become shorter stalked as they ascend the stem. Stems are slender, hairless, reddish, multiple from the base, and typically branched in the upper plant. Plants can create small colonies from short rhizomes.
Fruit:
![[photo of fruit]](/udata/r9ndp23q/pd/enemion-biternatum-7589-2.jpg)
Fruit is a star-shaped cluster of 4 to 6 capsules. Capsules are slightly flattened, teardrop shaped, about 1/6 inch long.
Notes:
False Rue Anemone is among the early spring bloomers and may be confused with Wood Anemone (Anemone quinquefolia) or Rue Anemone (Thalictrum thalictroides). The flowers of both those plants may have more than 5 sepals where False Rue Anemone always has 5. Both the other plants have whorled leaves and grow lower to the ground; False Rue Anemone has alternate stem leaves and is typically branched in the upper plant.
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More photos
False Rue Anemone plant
False Rue Anemone plants
False Rue Anemone habitat
a plant emerging through the snow
False Rue Anemone plant
False Rue Anemone plants
False Rue Anemone habitat
a plant emerging through the snowPhotos by K. Chayka taken at Nerstrand Big Woods State Park, Rice County. Photos courtesy Peter M. Dziuk taken in Goodhue County.
Comments
Have you seen this plant in Minnesota, or have any other comments about it?
on: 2011-05-05 04:45:19
I have masses of these growing in my woodland back yard in southern Minnesota!
on: 2012-02-10 09:04:27
I've just begun to see this popping up all over the woods behind my parents' house. I'm making a dedicated effort to ID as much of the stuff growing on our property as I can, and this one is definitely a favorite sight in early spring.
on: 2012-03-29 10:34:54
I am covered up with these flowers. Our farm is in the big woods on the South Fork of the Root River.
on: 2014-12-03 10:27:45
I photographed large colonies of these at Minnehaha Falls Park in Minneapolis this spring
on: 2015-11-03 19:32:39
I saw quite a lot of False Rue Anemone in bloom today near Northfield. Just wondering how often that happens?
on: 2015-11-03 21:12:12
Spring bloomers sometimes bloom again late in the season, presumably if the temperature and amount of sunlight are similar to their usual spring bloom season. It's been a warm autumn this year, so...
on: 2016-04-13 09:15:54
Seen April 12, 2016. Most flowers not yet blooming.
on: 2016-04-30 16:33:37
Thousands of plants at Pat's Grove County Park
on: 2016-10-17 07:43:08
Yesterday we went fall leaf peeking at Nerstrand Woods S.P. and to our surprise saw quite a few False Rue Anemone. We always struggle identifying this plant since it is not in the Peterson Wildflower handbook. Thank you minnesotawildflowers.com for documenting this important MN wildflower.
on: 2018-05-02 15:05:42
Masses of these in the wooded trails along the river at Oxbow Park in Byron today. Most have buds on them; a small percentage have bloomed already but more will be opening in the next few days!
on: 2018-05-10 13:42:32
I believe I have a positive ID on these at Cedar Lake County Park near Trimont in Martin County. I noticed that the range map doesn't have this species verified in Martin County. There is also the fella on this page from Fairmont that has loads in his yard. Somebody with the authority to do so ought to get this one confirmed for Martin County.
on: 2018-05-10 15:24:30
Caleb, the best way to update county records is to collect a specimen and submit it to the University of MN's Bell Herbarium. Then it becomes part of the official record and we'll get those updates in time. It should be a naturally occurring population, and you should have the landowner's permission to collect on their property. The Bell has other collection guidelines published on their web page.
on: 2018-05-18 04:39:35
Quite a bit of this blooming in oak mesic and maple-basswood forest at Elm Creek Park Reserve.
on: 2018-06-15 18:16:35
I believe I have these on my lakeshore near a willow tree.
on: 2021-04-17 12:20:58
I have a clump of it growing in my flower garden and it is blooming right now. It came in a pot of an iris I planted many years ago. It has been enlarging in area it covers over the years.
on: 2021-04-19 12:58:11
Lots of these were blooming in the woods along the Root River bike trail from Preston to Lanesboro MN. 04-18-2021
on: 2023-05-09 08:01:36
Tons of false rue anemone blooming in a wet wooded area near cannon city, MN on 5/8/23. Found near White trout lily, Bloodroot and Dutchman's breeches. Plums were also blooming at this time.
on: 2023-05-09 11:47:50
I found these just off the hiking path along the river this past weekend.