Anemone deltoidea
Columbian windflower
(c) Kostas Zontanos, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Kostas Zontanos · licence
Family: Ranunculaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Anemone deltoidea (Columbian windflower) is a native California herb in the Ranunculaceae family, recognized by . Key features: simple involucre bracts, large flowers, high stamen count.
Columbian windflower is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, and northern Coast Ranges Hover in open to shaded conifer forests at elevations of 100 to 2,000 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces white flowers with 5 sepals 15 to 25 millimeters long, creating a delicate bloom against its verdant habitat. Growing 10 to 30 centimeters tall with a spreading, slender rhizome, it develops erect stems with sparse bristly or glabrous surfaces. Its leaves are typically few, with ternate blades and petioles 10 to 15 centimeters long, featuring leaflets similar in size and shape to its involucre bracts. The plant produces a compact spherical fruit cluster approximately 9 to 12 millimeters wide, with individual fruit bodies 2.5 to 4 millimeters long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 6 sympatric species. Key features: simple involucre bracts, large flowers, high stamen count
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open to shaded sites, conifer forest
Elevation: 100-2000 m
California counties: Humboldt, Siskiyou, Del Norte, Mendocino, Trinity, Yolo
Outside California: to Washington
Bloom period
Anemone deltoidea blooms Apr-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Dimorphotheca: Anemone has separate sepals and a whorl of bracts below flower; Dimorphotheca has many ray flowers forming a daisy-like head.; vs Pulsatilla: Anemone has bracts well below the flower; Pulsatilla has bracts directly beneath the flower and silky-hairy foliage.; vs Ranunculus: Anemone has flat flowers without glossy nectaries and a bract whorl; Ranunculus has cup-shaped glossy petals with nectaries.; vs Papaver: Anemone has 5-10 sepals and a bract whorl below flower; Papaver has 4 crinkled petals and no bracts.; vs Romneya: Anemone has 5-10 sepals on a small herb; Romneya has 6 large white crinkled petals on a woody shrub.
Frequently asked questions
Is Anemone deltoidea native to California?
Yes. Anemone deltoidea is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Anemone deltoidea bloom?
Anemone deltoidea blooms Apr-Jul.
Where in California does Anemone deltoidea grow?
Anemone deltoidea occurs in Humboldt, Siskiyou, Del Norte, Mendocino, Trinity, Yolo, at elevations of 100-2000 m.
What plant family does Anemone deltoidea belong to?
Anemone deltoidea is in the Ranunculaceae family, genus Anemone.
What habitat does Anemone deltoidea grow in?
Anemone deltoidea grows in Open to shaded sites, conifer forest.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.