SATURDAY, MARCH 1, 2008
Spring Ephemeral Plant Profile: Rue anemone (Thalictrumthalictroides)
Another early perennial here in Georgia is theRue anemone. First appearing in March, thisdelicate plant has a long bloom time – ofteninto June, but becomes completely dormant inSummer. At full bloom this plant will only reachsix to nine inches tall.Growing naturally on wooded slopes and ridges,this plant prefers part shade, but will toleratefull shade in acidic humus rich well drained soil.Found through out the east, Rue anemoneextends west to Louisianna, Oklahoma, Kansasand Wisconsin. Threatened in New Hampshireand believed to be extirpated in Maine, there isalso concern about this plant in Rhode Islandand Florida. However, throughout thePiedmont and Blue Ridge Rue anemone is quite common.Propagation is by division, root cuttings, or seed. However, seeds require cold moist stratification for three months togerminate well. Seedlings will take two to three years to flower, but this plant is worth the wait.Rue anemone may be most easily identified by the leaf structure. Though the leaves are sometimes described as whorled, what appears to be individual leaves may actually bethree stemmed leaflets from an un-stemmed leaf. This wouldmake the arrangement opposite instead of whorled. Theserounded leaflets have three shallowly notched lobes on topand two where the stem is attached. The stems are dark and wiry in appearance and grow from a cluster of tuberous roots.The flowers of Rue anemone are the most conspicuousfeature. White flowers, occasionally tinged with pale pink display five to ten petal-like sepals (most often five) and up tofifteen greenish yellow stamens – each of which will producea seed. Though flowers up to one inch across appear clustered, each has its own stem.Formerly classified as
Anemonella thalictroides
by Linneas based on the umbelliform inforescences, it is now properly classified as
Thalictrum
Thalictroides
and a member of the Crowfoot or Buttercup Family
Ranunculaceae
.
Thalictrum
isfrom the Greek thaliktron meaning a plant with divided leaves. The name is attributed to Dioscorides, the Greek physician and author of De Materia Medica the precursor of all modern pharmacopeias.
Anemonella
in Greek meanssmall windflower in reference to the fact that this flower resembles a small anemone, and trembles at the slightest breeze. For this reason, the plant is also commonly called windflower. A similar plant, False Rue Anemone (
Isopyrum biternatum
) is distinct in that the leaves present three separate lobes whereas the Rue Anemone leaflet is only slightly notched. As always, I would be glad to hear any questions you might have, and to hear about your experience with this plant.
POSTED BY KAY STEPHENSON AT5:08 PM
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ABOUT ME AND NATIVE PLANTS
Kay Stephenson is a transplant toGeorgia from the St. LawrenceRiver valley of New York. An avidgardener, she served on the boardof theGeorgia Native PlantSociety and advocates for the useof native plants through severalother park and greenspaceorganizations likePiedmont Park Conservancy .Georgia Gardeninghas published several of herarticles. In the interest of fulldisclosure, her own gardens arenot exclusively native, but she is working on it. A freelance writer and fiber artist,Kay lives in Atlanta, Ga with herhusband, Mark, and her dog,Lady.
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