# Cylindrical Thimbleweed (*Anemone cylindrica*)

Cylindrical Thimbleweed is a pretty flower that looks like a little thimble! It grows tall and has fluffy white seeds that dance in the wind. This flower is a special part of nature's garden.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Meadows

![Cylindrical Thimbleweed](https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/291544517/medium.jpg)

Photo: Dustin Snider, CC BY 4.0 · [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/291544517)

## Appearance

The Cylindrical Thimbleweed has slender, hairy stems topped with small, greenish-white flowers that lack true petals. These blossoms mature into its most striking feature: distinctive, elongated, fuzzy, cylindrical seed heads. Its unique seed head shape makes it visually different from many other meadow wildflowers.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Ranunculales
- **Family:** Ranunculaceae
- **Genus:** Anemone

## Interesting facts

- After flowering, its seed heads grow into fuzzy, finger-like cylinders!
- Beware! Eating any part of this plant can cause an upset stomach!
- Indigenous peoples once used its crushed leaves as a poultice for aches!
- Its white 'petals' are actually modified leaves called sepals!

## Special abilities

- **Wind-Rider Seeds:** Cylindrical Thimbleweed has fluffy seeds that catch the wind, helping it spread far and wide to new locations.
- **Chemical Defense:** Cylindrical Thimbleweed produces compounds that make it unappetizing, protecting itself from hungry animals.
- **Winter Survivor:** Cylindrical Thimbleweed has strong, deep roots that help it survive harsh winters and regrow each year.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-90 cm
- **Spread:** 15-30 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1.5-2.5 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late spring to summer
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Gathers nectar and pollen.
- **Pollinates:** [Two-spotted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/two-spotted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus bimaculatus*) — Visits flowers for nectar.
- **Pollinates:** [Ligated Furrow Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/ligated-furrow-bee) (*Halictus ligatus*) — Collects pollen from flowers.

## Traits

- [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form.
- [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth.
- [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.
- [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.

## Collections

- [Flowers](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/flowers)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Do not touch or eat wild flowers without asking an adult.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Cylindrical Thimbleweed?

Count the petals where you can, then compare the flower's center, its symmetry, how the blooms are grouped and the leaves below. Color varies between garden varieties and shifts with the light. Flower Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Cylindrical Thimbleweed?

30-90 cm

### How wide does Cylindrical Thimbleweed spread?

15-30 cm

### How big are the flowers on Cylindrical Thimbleweed?

1.5-2.5 cm

### When does Cylindrical Thimbleweed bloom?

Late spring to summer

### Is Cylindrical Thimbleweed edible?

No

### Is Cylindrical Thimbleweed toxic?

Mild

### What is Cylindrical Thimbleweed's lifecycle?

Perennial

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Cylindrical Thimbleweed: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cylindrical-thimbleweed)