Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Country Or Region Of Origin
U.S.A. and eastern Canada
Plant Profile: Anemone virginiana var. virginiana
Names
Tall Thimbleweed, Thimbleweed
Phonetic Spelling:uh-NEM-oh-nee vir-jin-ee-AN-uh vir-jin-ee-AN-uh
Genus:Anemone
Species:virginiana
Family:Ranunculaceae
Tall Thimbleweed, a perennial wildflower native to the region, belongs to the buttercup family. It thrives in lush woodlands, particularly in areas with circumneutral soils. This plant is known for its striking flowers and durable, thimble-shaped seed heads, which inspired its name. However, it’s important to note that all parts of the plant are toxic, and its sap can cause skin irritation, so it’s advisable to wear gloves when handling it.
This wildflower can grow in conditions ranging from dry to moderately moist and can flourish in both sunny and shaded environments. It is also capable of thriving in poor, rocky soils, making it suitable for naturalized settings or native gardens.
For further details on Anemone virginiana, additional resources are available.
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana Feature Summary
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana Image Gallery
Tags
#white flowers
#shade tolerant
#NC native
#long bloom time
#native wildflower
#naturalized area
#food source nectar
#bird friendly
#food source hard mast fruit
#flies
#Piedmont Mountains FACU
#Coastal FACU
#bee friendly
#audubon
#woodlands
Similar Plants
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana Feature Summary
Attributes
U.S.A. and eastern Canada
Attracts bees and song birds
Perennial
Fruit
Fruit is an achene that is 1/2 to 1.25 inches long and oval. As it matures will open to expose cottony fluff with tiny brown seeds. The cottony cone persists through winter.
Achene
Summer
< 1 inch
< 1 inch
Flowers
Individual flowers are ¾ to 1 inch across with 5 pointed, hairy, greenish-white, petal-like sepals and numerous yellowish stamens around a bulbous green center on hairy flower stalks. Blooms June to Aug.
White
Green
Showy
Long Bloom Season
Spring
Summer
4-5 petals/rays
Colored Sepals
< 1 inch
Leaves
Leaves are basal and also in a whorl of 3-5 midway up the stem. All are palmately compound in groups of 3. Leaflets have 3-5 lobes, entire except for the tips and hairy. Up to 2.5 inches long.
Green
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Whorled
Palmatifid
Entire
Lobed
1-3 inches
Stem
Poisonous to Humans
Toxic only if eaten in large quantities. Causes severe pain in the mouth if eaten. Poisonous through ingestion and dermatitis. (Poisonous parts: All parts when fresh). Symptoms may include: Inflammation and blistering upon contact with fresh sap; irritation of mouth, vomiting and diarrhea following ingestion.
Protoanemonin
Medium
Seeds
Leaves
Stems
Sap/Juice
Flowers
Fruits
Whole Plant Traits
Herbaceous Perennial
Native Plant
Poisonous
Wildflower
Erect
Low
Medium
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Moist
Occasionally Dry
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
2a
2b
3a
3b
Clay
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Landscape
Drought Tolerant Garden
Native Garden
Shade Garden
Border
Poor Soil
Woodland
Naturalized Area
Songbirds
Bees
Poisonous to Humans
Contact Dermatitis
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana Image Gallery
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana Attributes
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Wildlife Value
Attracts bees and song birds
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana Fruit
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Fruit Description
Fruit is an achene that is 1/2 to 1.25 inches long and oval. As it matures will open to expose cottony fluff with tiny brown seeds. The cottony cone persists through winter.
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Fruit Type
Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Fruit Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Display/Harvest Time
Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Fruit Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Fruit Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana Flowers
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Flower Description
Individual flowers are ¾ to 1 inch across with 5 pointed, hairy, greenish-white, petal-like sepals and numerous yellowish stamens around a bulbous green center on hairy flower stalks. Blooms June to Aug.
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Flower Color
Green
White
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Flower Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Flower Petals
2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Flower Shape
Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana Leaves
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Leaf Description
Leaves are basal and also in a whorl of 3-5 midway up the stem. All are palmately compound in groups of 3. Leaflets have 3-5 lobes, entire except for the tips and hairy. Up to 2.5 inches long.
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Leaf Color
Green
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana Stem
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Stem Description
Hairy green stems
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Stem Color
Green
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Stem Surface
Corky Ridges
Covered with a powdery bloom (glaucous)
Dull
Hairy (pubescent)
Polished
Smooth (glabrous)
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana Poisonous to Humans
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Poison Symptoms
Toxic only if eaten in large quantities. Causes severe pain in the mouth if eaten. Poisonous through ingestion and dermatitis. (Poisonous parts: All parts when fresh). Symptoms may include: Inflammation and blistering upon contact with fresh sap; irritation of mouth, vomiting and diarrhea following ingestion.
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Poison Toxic Principle
Protoanemonin
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Poison Severity
High
Low
Medium
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Causes Contact Dermatitis
No
Yes
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Poison Part
Bark
Flowers
Fruits
Leaves
Roots
Sap/Juice
Seeds
Stems
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana Whole Plant Traits
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana Cultural Conditions
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
2a
2b
3a
3b
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana Landscape
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
Anemone virginiana var. virginiana: Problems
Allelopathic
Contact Dermatitis
Frequent Disease Problems
Frequent Insect Problems
Invasive Species
Malodorous
Messy
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Children
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Short-lived
Spines/Thorns
Weak Wood
Weedy
