Southwestern Great Plains anemone wildflowers

The anemones are an early blooming wildflower which goes dormant after setting fruit. Their peak bloom time is March, and typically extends from February to April. Some species have been seen blooming in December this winter--perhaps because of the unusually warm winter. In winter, before blooming, they produce their characteristic tripartite leaves.

Anemones on the southwestern Great Plains and northern Chihuahuan desert (western Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas and eastern New Mexico and northern Coahuila) are rarely documented, and very little is known about their distribution and habits. There may even be an undescribed species in this area (a focus of my research). Within this area, I have found that some species seem to prefer gentle, north-facing slopes.

This journal post is to encourage folks to keep an eye out for anemones in this geographical region. All parts of the plant need to be photographed to help ensure an identification (the more pictures, the better).

• Anemone okennonii
• Other, unidentified species
• Anemone berlandieri reaches it's western-most distribution here
• Anemone edwardsiana (likely restricted to the Texas hill country)

Tagging folks that have made several recent plant observations in this area:
@currenfrasch, @ck2az, @jesusnc25, @debm, @empid, @nolandmartin, @s_pi_ky, @mako252, @austinrkelly, @codystricker, @derrell_d, @jotol, @christopherrustay, @joshua_tx, @calebhelsel, @shaunmichael, @lyrae, @rlseman, @willjaremkowright, @briancriter, @alegatocamarena, @carloscarrera, @g_vladimir_hr, @myriada, @roberto999, @pepepaulin, @floresdecoahuilasma, @prairiehagrid, @mlc629, @bobhoard, @nickvarvel, @kvotx, @brooksy , @cbeasley3, @prairiehagrid, @tim-springer, @dwverser, @gtsalmon, @charley, @dpacheco, @jarrellk, @wildcarrot, @liraley, @ianshelburne, @bobnieman, @alix_in_wonderland

Posted on 29 January, 2023 14:43 by pfau_tarleton