Anemone quinquefolia (Wood Anemone)
| 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 |
| Wetland Indicator Status: | GP: FAC MW: FAC NCNE: FACU |
| 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/pd/anemone-quinquefolia-19.jpg)
A single 1-inch flower on a hairy stalk arises from a whorl of leaves at the end of the stem. Flowers have 4 to 9 petal-like sepals, usually 5, with numerous white-tipped stamens surrounding a green center. Flower color is usually white, occasionally pink.
Leaves:
![[photo of leaves]](/udata/r9ndp23q/white/anemone-quinquefolia-wood-anemone_0508_105818.jpg)
Leaves are compound in groups of 3, though the lateral leaflets may be cleft so it appears to be 4 or 5 leaflets. A single whorl of 3 stalked leaves sits at the top of the stem with the flower stalk arising from the center. Leaflets are up to 1½ inches long, notched, lobed or deeply divided in 2 or 3 parts, coarsely toothed at the tip end, wedge-shaped at the base, and very short-stalked or stalkless. Leaf color ranges from bright green to purplish green to dark purple. A single basal leaf similar to the stem leaves, but nearly round in outline, may also be present. Leaves and stems are covered in fine hairs.
Fruit:
![[photo of fruit]](/udata/r9ndp23q/pd/anemone-quinquefolia-10.jpg)
Fruit is a round head of beaked, oval seeds, each 1/8 to 1/6 inch long, variously hairy and the beak straight or curved.
Notes:
Wood Anemone tends to grow in thick mats, spreading via rhizomes. A single plant may take 5 years or longer to flower, so often only a few flowers are seen among the leaves. When not flowering it can be recognized by the basal leaves, nearly round in outline, with 3 hairy, nearly stalkless leaflets, the lateral leaflets often deeply cleft. There are 2 recognized varieties: var. minima has a limited range in NC, TN, VA, WV; var. quniquefolia ranges from Nova Scotia to southern Manitoba and south to Alabama, and is found in Minnesota.
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More photos
Wood Anemone plant
a patch of Wood Anemone
a flower with 6 sepals and purplish leaves
a flower with 8 sepals
pink flowers
more leaves
Wood Anemone plant
a patch of Wood Anemone
a flower with 6 sepals and purplish leaves
a flower with 8 sepals
pink flowers
more leavesPhotos by K. Chayka taken at Long Lake and Vadnais/Snail Lake Regional Parks, Ramsey County, Whitewater Wildlife Management Area, Winona County, and in Anoka County. Photos by Peter M. Dziuk taken at Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden, Hennepin County, and in Anoka County.
Comments
Have you seen this plant in Minnesota, or have any other comments about it?
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.
on: 2012-02-09 00:13:36
I have these growing in my yard. Very delightful in Spring. They disappear in summer.
on: 2012-05-29 16:23:34
I always thought this was a purple plant. Does anyone know of a similar flower in purple?
on: 2012-05-31 18:47:25
Lovely to see covering the forest floor. A carpet of joy!
on: 2013-05-27 14:52:53
I saw both white and pink Wood Anemone in Carley State Park today (Memorial Day).
on: 2015-05-03 22:28:08
Large mats of these blooming now at the river dog park. Very pretty.
on: 2015-05-13 13:56:34
Beautiful dainty flowers!
on: 2015-06-03 12:59:29
Was out this morning and the entire forest floor was covered with this in a tall soft purple version. Quite a sight mixed in with all the ferns
on: 2016-04-21 13:50:22
Many smaller clumps blooming, both green and purplish leaves. Also blooming today were rue anemone, Dutchman's breeches, the last of the bloodroot, 3 kinds of violets and golden star sedge.
on: 2016-04-30 20:36:30
Saw large mats of these blooming today in NE section of Bunker Hills Park, some white and others very pink.
on: 2016-07-04 21:36:36
They are all along the dirt path across the road from the lake.
on: 2017-05-07 20:04:05
They showed up as a volunteer in my shaded backyard garden
on: 2017-05-09 07:36:41
Blooming in several places May 6 in open, dry woods.
on: 2018-04-30 15:46:46
Haven't seen these here before
on: 2018-05-16 18:37:50
Along the walking path south of the boat landing. Lots of blood root as well.
on: 2018-06-10 11:32:33
On the west side of the "coulee hill" south of downtown Afton, blooming in early June.
on: 2019-05-05 13:55:25
Large areas blooming off the Ihlenfeld/Wildung Trail.So pretty.
on: 2019-05-27 09:21:16
Large patches fill the lake bank and woods
on: 2020-05-02 09:00:03
Walking on the horse trails, they were beautifully growing throughout the woods.
on: 2020-05-07 02:35:47
I found two patches in our yard, with purplish leaves and tiny pale pink flowers, not even in a wooded area, and marked them so my husband wouldn't mow them! What a delightful little flower! Picked one and it's still looking fine in my tiny jar of water 3 days later :)
on: 2020-05-09 15:59:04
Along a walking trail on our lakeside property. Most were the pink variant, with just an occasional white flower. Mother's Day Weekend.
on: 2020-05-14 17:24:50
A new cluster from last year has expanded! Near intersection of Pagenkopf Road and Independence Road. Mostly white, with a few edged in pink.
on: 2020-05-17 18:47:57
Throughout the forest on the south side of Woman Lake. Noticed for the first time this year end of April.
on: 2021-04-15 19:31:43
Millions blooming
on: 2021-05-13 16:36:57
Last August we had a terrible storm that uprooted and toppled a great many of our 60-70 foot trees in the woods surrounding our house. After using dozers and backhoes to clean up the mess, this spring the trillium and ferns came up as though nothing had happened. Just today we discovered many white anemones that we never noticed before in a section that wasn't so badly damaged.
on: 2021-05-19 10:44:53
These were found this week along our BHS property in the wooded areas around the softball fields and throughout the trails along the south side of the school.
on: 2023-05-14 17:42:51
It took me awhile to figure which anemone is growing in my yard. The exterior before the flower open is pink. The opened flower is white. Love this flower and wish it covered my whole yard.
on: 2024-04-22 14:35:08
We're these ever called rue anenome?
on: 2024-04-22 15:44:18
Susan, rue anemone is a different species: Thalictrum thalictroides.