Common Name: False Rue Anemone

Scientific Name: Enemion biternatum

Family: Ranunculaceae 

Habitat: Woodlands, Slopes, Along Rivers, Thickets

Native: Yes

Life Cycle: Perennial, Ephemeral

Bloom Time: Spring

Height: Up to 10 inches

Light: Partial shade

Soil: Moist, Well drained

Pollinators: Bees

Description: False Rue Anemone is a native spring ephemeral that is often confused with the Rue Anemone. Although the two flowers look almost identical at first glance, the False Rue Anemone can be distinguished from the true Rue Anemone based on its petals and its distribution. While the False Rue Anemone always has 5 petals, the true Rue Anemone can have between 5 to 10 petals. Also, while the False Rue Anemone tends to grow in colonies, the True Rue Anemone tends to grow independently. The False Rue Anemone grows most abundantly in deep forests, along rich, wooded slopes, and along rivers in moist soil and partly shady conditions. This photo of the False Rue Anemone was taken in the Woodland Garden at Creasey Mahan Nature Preserve.