Tall Thimbleweed

Tall Thimbleweed

Common name: Thimbleweed, tall thimbleweed, Virginia anemone

Scientific name: Anemone virginiana

Family: Buttercup, Ranunculaceae

Bloom period: May to June

What to look for: Pale light green to white blooms, approximately 1” wide. The “petals” are really sepals (modified leaves outside the flower parts); there are no real petals. The actual flower parts are the in the center of the sepals. They produce tiny fruits that ripen into seeds arranged in the shape of a thimble. After frost, the seed head turns wooly.

Where to see it: In the building 1 garden, about 1/3 of the way down the hill, near the front edge (the edge close to road).

Benefit to pollinators: Small bees, small butterflies and small flies visit the flowers for its pollen.

More info: Native Americans used different plant parts to treat whooping cough, tuberculosis, diarrhea, and skin conditions.