Enemion biternatum aka Eastern False Rue Anemone

Enemion biternatum is a wildflower that lives for years. Its common name is false rue anemone. It belongs to the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae. Its native range spans southeastern Canada. It also spans the central and eastern United States. This range includes Missouri and the Midwest. It grows in woods, thickets, and on open wooded slopes. It also grows on river flood plains. The plant can form large groups, or colonies, in these places.

This small plant has tuberous roots and grows upright. Its usual height is about 0.4–0.7 feet (0.13–0.20 metres). Its listed garden height reaches about 0.75 feet (0.23 metres). Its listed spread is about 0.5 feet (0.15 metres). Compound leaves, made of smaller leaflets, grow at its base. Most leaves split into three parts, which split again. Each leaflet has three lobes. Thin stems hold the flowers above these split leaves.

The white flowers bloom from March to April. Each flower is about 0.04 feet (0.013 metres) across. Five sepals look like petals around a yellow centre. Yellow stamens make this centre stand out. Most flower stems grow where leaves meet the stem. The blooms look much like those of rue anemone. This likeness gives the plant its name, false rue anemone. The flowers add an early spring show in shaded gardens.

Grow this plant in part shade with medium soil moisture. It grows well in average soil that drains well. Rich soil with plenty of humus suits it best. The Missouri Botanical Garden says it is easy to grow. It also says garden plants need little care. Both garden sources place it in USDA zones 3–8. These ratings support its use across a wide hardiness range. Its native range has a temperate climate.

Woodland gardens suit its size, blooms, and need for shade. It also suits wildflower gardens and plantings of native species. Shaded parts of rock gardens offer space for spring blooms. Its small size gives these gardens a low flowering plant. The Missouri Botanical Garden reports no major insect problems. It reports no major disease problems either. The supplied sources give no details on edible parts or toxicity. They do not show whether people or pets can safely eat it.