Wood anemone: how to recognise it, when to plant rhizomes and why it is poisonous

In short: Wood anemone is a native spring perennial that flowers from March to May under deciduous trees and dies back in summer. The rhizomes are planted in autumn 3–5 cm deep in humus-rich soil in partial shade. The whole plant is poisonous and its sap irritates the skin, so take care around children, dogs and cats.

Wood anemone is the white "spring duvet" that covers deciduous woods and groves in March and April, before the trees come into leaf. According to botany.cz it is fairly common here from the lowlands to the foothills. In the garden it behaves the same way: under shrubs and trees it forms a continuous carpet within a few years and then disappears for the summer.

This article is about one specific species. For an overview of the whole anemone genus, including the tall autumn species, see the article Anemone, or windflower.

How to recognise wood anemone

In spring three similarly sized plants meet in the woods. You can tell them apart by flower colour and leaf shape.

The flower of wood anemone usually has six to eight petals and yellow stamens in the middle. In overcast weather and in the evening it closes and droops.

Beware of confusion with the snowdrop anemone (Anemone sylvestris). It has larger, white, fragrant flowers, flowers only in May on dry sunny slopes and is strictly protected under Decree No. 395/1992 Coll. Wood anemone (Anemone nemorosa) is not protected.

A spring ephemeral: why it vanishes in June

Wood anemone is one of the so-called spring ephemerals. It fits its whole year in between the thaw and the trees coming into leaf, when enough light reaches the ground. The leaves come up in March, the seeds ripen after flowering, and in June to July the above-ground part turns yellow and dies back. For the rest of the year it lives only in a thin brown rhizome just beneath the surface.

Several practical rules follow from this:

• Do not remove the leaves until they turn yellow on their own. It is in them that the plant stores reserves for next spring.
• Mark the spot. In summer you do not know the anemones are there and can easily dig them up.
• Combine them with plants that spread later, for example ferns or hostas. In summer they cover the empty space.
• Do not rake the leaves from under trees completely clean in autumn. Rotting leaves are a natural fertiliser for anemones.

Where to plant it in the garden

The ideal place is one that is sunlit in spring and shaded in summer: under deciduous trees and shrubs, at the edge of a hedge, in a naturalistic part of the garden or in a light corner under fruit trees. It does not thrive under conifers and evergreen shrubs, where it lacks both spring light and leaf fall.

The soil should be humus-rich, loose and moist in spring. In summer it may dry out; the rhizomes tolerate that. Improve heavy clay soil with compost or leaf mould. You will find more plants for similar places in the article which plants suit the shade.

Planting rhizomes step by step

Wood anemones are sold in two ways: as dry rhizomes in autumn and as potted plants in spring. Dry rhizomes look like brown twisted twigs and dry out easily, so plant them as soon as possible after buying.

1. Plant in September and October, at the same time as spring bulbs, see autumn planting of bulbs.
2. Soak dry rhizomes for several hours in lukewarm water; they swell and root faster.
3. Loosen the soil and mix in compost or leaf mould.
4. Lay the rhizomes horizontally 3–5 cm deep, spaced about 10 cm apart. For a quicker effect plant them in groups of 10–20.
5. Cover, water and cover the surface with a thin layer of leaves.
6. In the first spring not all of them may shoot or flower. Dry rhizomes often wake up only in the second year.

A more reliable way: plants "in the green"

Plants transplanted in spring straight after flowering, still with their leaves, establish best. If you or a neighbour have anemones in the garden, dig up a piece of turf with the rhizomes and soil after flowering and replant it at the same depth. Water until the leaves die back.

Care: almost none

Established anemones do not need feeding, watering or cutting. Once a year, in autumn, spread a layer of leaves or compost around them. They spread by rhizomes and partly by seeds, which are carried by ants. Within a few years a few plants become a continuous stand. They will not last in beds where you need to dig every spring. Why a layer of organic material on the soil surface helps the soil is explained in the article why mulch a bed.

Garden varieties

• 'Robinsoniana' – pale lavender-blue flowers, greyish on the outside.
• 'Vestal' – white flowers with a full "pompon" centre.
• 'Alba Plena' – double white.
• 'Bracteata' – white flowers with green bracts, looking half like a leaf and half like a flower.

Toxicity: children, dogs and cats

Wood anemone is poisonous, as botany.cz states. The plant contains the glycoside ranunculin, from which the irritant protoanemonin forms when it is crushed or chewed. The veterinary handbook IVIS describes drooling, vomiting and diarrhoea in dogs and cats after eating anemone. The bitter taste usually puts animals off, so serious poisonings are rare.

In people the sap irritates the skin, mucous membranes and eyes. So wear gloves when transplanting, and teach small children that spring flowers are not put in the mouth or used for "cooking". Drying breaks down protoanemonin; the fresh plant is the most dangerous. If a child has put the plant in their mouth, contact the Toxicology Information Centre, telephone 224 919 293 or 224 915 402. Take an animal to the vet.

From the woods to the garden? Better not

Although wood anemone is not strictly protected, do not dig it up from the woods. In national parks and nature reserves collecting plants is prohibited, and a wood always belongs to some owner. Dug-up plants also often fail to establish. Buy rhizomes or plants from a garden centre, or take a piece of turf from a neighbour whose anemones have spread in their garden.

Frequently asked questions

Is wood anemone poisonous?

Yes. It contains ranunculin, from which the irritant protoanemonin forms when the plant is damaged. After eating it causes burning in the mouth, drooling, vomiting and diarrhoea, and the sap also irritates the skin.

When does wood anemone flower?

From March to May, depending on location and weather. In the lowlands it starts earlier, in the foothills later. In June to July the above-ground part dies back.

When should I plant wood anemone?

Dry rhizomes in September and October, 3–5 cm deep. Potted plants or a piece of turf can be transplanted in spring straight after flowering, while they still have leaves.

Is wood anemone protected?

No, it is common here. The similar Anemone sylvestris is strictly protected. In national parks and nature reserves, however, collecting plants is prohibited.

Why did my anemone disappear in summer?

It is a spring ephemeral. After flowering and seed ripening the leaves die back and the plant survives in the rhizome underground. It shoots again in spring.

Recommended products

We do not currently have wood anemone rhizomes or plants on offer. The following is suitable for the humus-rich soil that anemones need:

• BIOPON compost accelerator 1 kg – faster breakdown of leaves into leaf mould, which anemones under trees need.

Sources

• Wood anemone, Anemone nemorosa: distribution, ecology, toxicity (botany.cz)
• Anemone species: toxicity to dogs and cats (IVIS, Guide to Poisonous House and Garden Plants)
• Decree No. 395/1992 Coll., list of strictly protected species (Zákony pro lidi)
• Toxicology Information Centre, General University Hospital in Prague

Updated: 27 September 2026