Planting and Growing the Candle Anemone

Also known as the thimbleweed or long-head thimbleweed, the candle anemone is native to the United States. It is from the buttercup family of plants and is botanically named Anemone cylindrica.

Candle Anemone Description

Growing one to three feet, this perennial flowering plant has erect stems and green-white flowers. The center of the flower looks like a thimble. Leaves are clustered in whorls, green, and deeply cut. The center of the flower will age into a tuft of cotton-like texture. Bloom season is between May and June.

Growing Guide

Candle anemone prefers to grow in full sun to partial shade with a dry rocky soil. It can be propagated by seed or division. Mature plants can be divided in the spring. Seed is best sown in the fall or the early spring. While you don't have to pretreat the seeds before sowing, dry stratification may improve the chances for germination.

Distribution

This native grows in Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. It is seen in prairies and in open wood areas.

Classification

• Kingdom - Plantae- Plants
• Subkingdom - Tracheobionta- Vascular plants
• Superdivision - Spermatophyta- Seed plants
• Division - Magnoliophyta- Flowering plants
• Class - Magnoliopsida- Dicotyledons
• Subclass - Magnoliidae
• Order - Ranunculales
• Family - Ranunculaceae- Buttercup family
• Genus - Anemone L.- anemone
• Species - Anemone cylindrica A. Gray- candle anemone

Source: NPIN, PlantsDatabase