Anemone virginiana

Anemone virginiana: Native Thimbles After the Petals Drop

The flowers are just the warm-up. Tall thimbleweed does its best work after the petals drop. This native anemone carries greenish-white flowers on slender stems 60 to 90 cm tall from June into August, over deeply cut leaves. The green centre stretches into a thimble-shaped head that turns into a cottony tuft, holding on into winter. It handles dry spells once settled, bees visit and deer pass. KNITS ITS OWN WINTER SCARF.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Anemone virginiana
• Common Name: Tall Thimbleweed, Tall Anemone
• Height: 60–90 cm (2–3 ft)
• Spread: 30–60 cm (1–2 ft)
• Flowers: Greenish-white, about 2.5–4 cm (1–1.5 in) across, with a thimble-like centre
• Bloom Time: Early to late summer (June to August)
• Foliage: Deeply cut, toothed green leaves, with a whorl of leaves partway up the stem
• Light: Full sun to part sun
• Hardiness Zone: 3
• Features: Native to Ontario and Quebec, deer and rabbit resistant, drought tolerant once established, attracts bees, persistent seed heads

Uses: It fits naturally into native gardens, meadow plantings, woodland edges and informal borders. Its upright, open habit lets it weave between bigger neighbours without crowding them. Good native companions include wild bergamot, little bluestem, black-eyed Susan and woodland asters. Leave the seed heads up for winter interest along a path.

Companion Plants: Iris 'Black Joker' opens purple flowers in May and June with upright leaves that last all season. Monarda bradburiana adds pink flowers in late spring, just as the thimbleweed starts in June. Miscanthus sinensis 'Adagio' grows to 150 cm and keeps the bed interesting from August to October. Each one grows in full sun or partial sun.

Product Care: Plant in full sun or part sun in average, well-drained soil. It handles dry, rocky or sandy ground once established, but it won't tolerate waterlogged soil. Water through its first season. Leave the stems standing in fall to enjoy the cottony seed heads, then cut them back in spring. Clumps can be divided in spring. Wear gloves when handling it, because the fresh sap can irritate skin, and all parts are toxic if eaten.

History: Tall thimbleweed grows across southern Canada, including Ontario and Quebec, and through much of the eastern and central United States, in open woods, edges, meadows and prairies. Its common name comes from the thimble-shaped flower centre. The genus name is linked to the Greek word for wind, which fits a plant that sends its fluffy seeds off on the breeze.

Final Thoughts: Tall thimbleweed is a quiet native with a long season of interest: summer flowers, then seed heads that look good well into winter. THE PETALS LEAVE. THE PARTY STAYS.