Canada Anemone
Anemone canadensis
Last reviewed: August 2026
Canada Anemone is a spreading perennial forb with white flowers in May and June. It grows well in part sun with medium to moist soil, often along stream banks, meadows and prairie edges.
Toxicity unknown
Canada Anemone (Anemone canadensis) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.
Light
part sun
Water
medium
Size
12"–24" H × 12"–24" W
Bloom
May, Jun
Native to
AL, CO, CT, GA and 32 more states
Pollinators
bees, beetles
Deer
Resistant (per Prairie Moon Nursery)
Before you buy
Your city may pay you to plant this
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Canada anemone produces delicate white flowers with yellow centers in late spring and early summer. This native wildflower spreads to form colonies and works well in naturalized areas or woodland gardens.
Growing Canada Anemone
Grow Canada Anemone in part sun and medium water. Mature plants reach 12 to 24 inches tall and spread 12 to 24 inches wide. Expect low maintenance to keep it looking intentional in a front yard.
In an HOA neighborhood
Canada Anemone takes more care to keep looking intentional in a front yard. Maintenance level: low. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.
Works well in: backyard only.
- Spreads aggressively and can look weedy
- May appear untidy when not in bloom
- Natural growth habit too informal for most front yards
Wildlife value
The flowers attract native bees and beetles during its May and June bloom period. Seeds provide food for small birds and wildlife.
Common questions
- How much sun does Canada Anemone need?
- Canada Anemone grows best in part sun to part shade. It can handle more sun if the soil stays consistently moist.
- What soil moisture does Canada Anemone prefer?
- It prefers medium moisture but tolerates wetter sites such as stream banks, ditches and low areas that stay damp through the season.
- When does Canada Anemone bloom?
- Canada Anemone typically flowers in May and June, producing white, five petal-like sepals around a yellow center.
- Does Canada Anemone spread quickly in a garden bed?
- Yes. It spreads by rhizomes and can form dense colonies over time, so it works better in naturalized areas than in small, tightly planted beds.
- What insects visit Canada Anemone flowers?
- Bees and beetles visit the flowers to collect pollen, since Anemone canadensis does not produce nectar.
- Is Canada Anemone HOA-friendly?
- Canada Anemone takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.
These answers were drafted with an AI model from this plant's data. Verify care details with a local expert.
Native range data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew). Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
If something looks wrong
Common plant problems, and what to check first
These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.
- It is dying right after planting
- Leaves turning yellow
- Wilting even though I watered it
- Brown crispy leaf tips
- Bugs on the plant
Ready to grow Canada Anemone? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.
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