Skip to main content

Carolina Anemone

Anemone caroliniana

Last reviewed: October 2026

Carolina Anemone (Anemone caroliniana)
Photo: (c) Chet Burrier, some rights reserved (CC BY)

Toxicity unknown

Carolina Anemone (Anemone caroliniana) 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

full sun

Water

low

Size

6"–6" H × 12"–30" W

Bloom

Mar, Apr, May

Native to

AL, AR, GA, IA and 14 more states

Pollinators

bees, beetles

Before you buy

Your city may pay you to plant this

Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 459 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.

Find rebates in your area

Picture natives in your own yard

Upload a photo of your yard and Patch Vision shows a rendering of it planted with natives for your region, like Carolina Anemone.

Try it with your yardDownload on the App StoreGet it on Google Play

Browse plants for this ecoregion

Southwestern TablelandsCentral Great PlainsGreat PlainsCross TimbersTexas Blackland PrairiesEast Central Texas PlainsWestern Gulf Coastal PlainSouth Central PlainsEastern Temperate ForestsOzark HighlandsCentral Irregular PlainsNorthern Glaciated PlainsWestern Corn Belt PlainsNorth Central Hardwood ForestsDriftless AreaInterior River Valleys and Hills

Carolina anemone is a compact spring wildflower that produces delicate white or pale pink blooms from April through June. This low-growing native perennial forms small clumps and goes dormant by midsummer, disappearing until the following spring.

Get an email before your first frost

We'll email you a week before frost can first reach your ZIP. You also get a printable fall checklist with your dates right away.

You'll also get our weekly yard notes. Unsubscribe anytime.

In an HOA neighborhood

Carolina 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.

  • Goes completely dormant and disappears in summer
  • Very brief bloom period
  • Can appear sparse or patchy

Wildlife value

The early spring flowers provide nectar for native bees and beetles when few other blooms are available. This plant offers crucial early-season pollinator support during a critical time of year.

Common questions

How much sun does Carolina Anemone need?
Carolina Anemone grows best in full sun conditions.
When does Carolina Anemone bloom?
Carolina Anemone blooms in March, April, and May.
Where is Carolina Anemone native?
Carolina Anemone (Anemone caroliniana) is native to AL, AR, GA, IA and 14 more states, per the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew).
What pollinators does Carolina Anemone attract?
Carolina Anemone draws bees and beetles.
Is Carolina Anemone HOA-friendly?
Carolina Anemone takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

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.

See all plant problem guides

Ready to grow Carolina Anemone? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.

Add this plant to your garden
iPhone appAndroid app