PROTECTING WISCONSIN'S BIODIVERSITY

 
 
   
 
Scientific Name Common Name Global Rank State Rank Federal Status WI Status

Carolina Anemone (Anemone caroliniana)

kk_rd_069.jpg

 

 

 

 

8837.jpg

Photo by Kitty Kohout

 

Counties with Mapped NHI Occurrences

Carolina Anemone (Anemone caroliniana), a Wisconsin Endangered plant, is found in dry bluff and sand prairies and gravelly hillsides, mostly near the Mississippi and lower Chippewa Rivers. Blooming occurs early-April through late-May. fruiting late-May through late-June. The optimal identification period for this species is throughout May.

 
 
 

Carolina anemone is an erect forb, 10-40cm tall. Flowers are medium to large in size (2.5-4cm wide), petals are absent, the 10-20 sepals are petal-like and white to purple. Its fruiting head is narrowly ellipse-like in shape and 13-20mm in size. Seed is wooly. It has deeply palmately divided basal leaves and a whorl of 3 stalkless cauline leaves at or below the middle of the flowering stem.

The combination of the highly dissected leaves and the numerous (greater than 10) sepals distinguish this species.

Rhizomatous. Blooming occurs early-April through late-May, fruiting late-May through late-June.

Perennial. The optimal identification period for this species is throughout May.

Associated species include Andropogon scoparius, Bouteloua hirsuta, Chrysopsis villosa, Liatris aspera, L punctata, Penstemon grandiflorus, Delphinium virescens, Tradescantia bracteata, and Juniperus virginiana.

Carolina anemone is found in dry bluff and sand prairies and gravelly hillsides, mostly near the Mississippi and lower Chippewa Rivers.

Avoid known individual plant locations and conduct operations elsewhere when they are least likely to cause damage. Ideally, this would involve frozen, snow-covered ground. However, in areas of the state where frozen conditions are unreliable, very dry soils late in the growing season might be the best available alternative. Consult with a biologist, if needed.

Avoid broadcast spraying of herbicides and use care with spot spraying.

Avoid locating landings, staging areas, or access routes in open sandy areas dominated by native grasses.

Prescribed burns and/or brushing may be beneficial, dependent on local site conditions and burn frequency. Rotational burns with annual unburned refugia may be preferred.

Maintain and restore open habitat through selective clearing and brushing.

Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) are associated with habitats (or natural communities) and places on the landscape. Understanding relationships among SGCN, natural communities and ecological landscapes help us make decisions about issues affecting SGCN and their habitat and how to respond. Download the Wildlife Action Plan association score spreadsheet to explore rare species, natural communities and ecological landscape associations

Conservation actions respond to issues or threats, which adversely affect species of greatest conservation need (SGCN) or their habitats. Besides actions such as restoring wetlands or planting resilient tree species in northern communities, research, surveys and monitoring are also among conservation actions described in the Wisconsin Wildlife Action Plan because lack of information can threaten our ability to successfully preserve and care for natural resources.