Does it stay green all summer?

No, the foliage typically dies back to the ground by early summer.

Can I grow it in full sun?

It prefers partial shade and will struggle in hot, direct sun.

Plant guide

Wood anemone.

Anemone nemorosa

Pronounced uh-NEM-oh-nee nem-oh-ROH-suh

Also known as European thimbleweed, European wood anemone

Anemone nemorosa — Photo by Katharine Khamhaengwong (CC BY) via gbif

The wood anemone is a charming spring ephemeral that carpets woodland floors with delicate white flowers. It thrives in cool, shaded spots and goes dormant once the summer heat arrives. You will love how it spreads to create a natural, woodland look in your garden.

At a glance

Care level: Easy
Plant type: Herbaceous perennial
Light: Partial shade to full shade
Indoor light: Medium light
Water: Every 3 to 7 days
Mature size: 6 to 12 inches
Growth rate: Medium
Hardiness: USDA 4 to 8
Bloom time: Early to mid spring

Care

Plant these in moist, humus rich soil where they can enjoy dappled shade. Keep an eye out for wilting if the soil dries out too much during their growing season. Once the foliage yellows in late spring, you can let it die back naturally.

Watering: Keep the soil consistently moist but never waterlogged during the active growing season.
Feeding: Apply a light layer of organic compost or leaf mold in the autumn to support growth.
Pruning: Simply remove any dead or yellowed foliage once the plant has finished its spring cycle.
Repotting: These plants prefer to stay in the ground, but you can divide the rhizomes every few years to manage spread.
Soil: Moist, well draining, humus rich soil
Soil pH: Neutral to slightly acidic
Temperature: -30 to 25°C
Humidity: 40 to 70%

Safety

People: The plant contains protoanemonin which causes skin irritation and internal distress if eaten.
Pets: This plant is considered toxic to cats and dogs if ingested.
Children: Keep this plant away from children as the sap is highly irritating and ingestion is dangerous.
Contact allergens: Handling the fresh plant can cause skin blistering or dermatitis in sensitive individuals.
Airborne allergens: There is no significant risk of respiratory allergy from this plant.
Edibility: All parts of the plant are toxic if ingested and can cause severe irritation.

How to identify it

Star shaped white flowers
Deeply lobed palmately divided leaves
Low growing herbaceous perennial
Spreads via underground rhizomes

Height: 0.1 to 0.2m
Spread: 0.15 to 0.3m
Leaves: green, deciduous
Flowers: white, pale pink, 2 to 4cm

Problems to watch for

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Growing it

Propagation: division, seed
When to plant: autumn, early spring

Plant them under deciduous trees where they can enjoy spring sun before the leaves shade them out.

Grows well with

Primrose · They share the same woodland habitat and bloom at the same time.
Snowdrop · They provide a succession of spring interest in shady spots.

Similar species

Yellow anemone · It is a similar woodland plant but features yellow flowers.

Science

Family: Ranunculaceae
Genus: Anemone
Order: Ranunculales
Class: Magnoliopsida
Native range: Europe and western Asia.
Conservation: It is common in its native range and not currently of conservation concern.

It thrives in the dappled light of deciduous forests before the tree canopy fully leafs out.

Value to wildlife: early season nectar source
Pollinators: bees, butterflies
Uses: woodland garden, ground cover, spring border

Through the year

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Flowering

Fruiting

Foliage

Ecological indicators

Salinity: 1/9
Soil reaction: 6/9
Light: 3/9
Temperature: 4/9
Moisture: 6/9
Nutrients: 5/9

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Does it stay green all summer?: No, the foliage typically dies back to the ground by early summer.
Can I grow it in full sun?: It prefers partial shade and will struggle in hot, direct sun.

Where the name comes from

The name Anemone comes from the Greek word for wind, while nemorosa means of the woods.

Good to know

The flowers close up during rain to protect their pollen.
It spreads slowly via underground rhizomes.
It is often called the windflower because it sways in the breeze.

Also in

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This guide was generated with AI on September 26, 2026 and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.