Bloomipedia
Cylindrical thimbleweed (Anemone cylindrica)
Photo: Anders Hastings via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Cylindrical thimbleweed

Anemone cylindrica

Native to North Dakota

Cylindrical thimbleweed is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states.

27states
70ND sightings*
1,967U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: North Dakota

Quick look

Anemone cylindrica, also known as thimbleweed, is an upright growing, clump forming herbaceous species of flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae. Plants grow 30–100 centimetres (12–39 in) tall, flowering early summer but often found flowering until late summer, the flowers are greenish-white. It is primarily self-pollinated.

  • It belongs to the Ranunculaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 27 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to North Dakota. NatureServe
  • iNaturalist has 70 research-grade sightings of it in North Dakota, ranking #93 among the 109 flowers on our North Dakota list. iNaturalist

Cylindrical thimbleweed gift ideas

Handmade cylindrical thimbleweed gifts from independent makers.

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When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (87 records)

There are only a handful of North Dakota flowering records, so this chart uses records from across the U.S.

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
North Dakota
No list North Dakota has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's North Dakota ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in North Dakota.
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: ID (S1), MO (S2), NH (SH), NJ (S1), PA (S1), RI (S1), VT (S1), WY (S2). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records cylindrical thimbleweed in 27 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Wisconsin, Wyoming.

North Dakota counties with USDA records: Barnes, Benson, Billings, Bottineau, Burke, Burleigh, Cass, Dickey, Divide, Dunn, Eddy, Emmons, Golden Valley, Grand Forks, Grant, Griggs, Kidder, LaMoure, Logan, McIntosh, McKenzie, McLean, Mercer, Morton, Mountrail, Nelson, Oliver, Pembina, Pierce, Ransom, Renville, Richland, Sargent, Sheridan, Sioux, Slope, Stark, Stutsman, Ward, Wells, Williams.

More North Dakota flowers

Canada anemone (Anemonastrum canadense)

Canada anemone

Anemonastrum canadense

Native

🌼 Blooms in ND: June
Prairie pasqueflower (Pulsatilla nuttalliana)

Prairie pasqueflower

Pulsatilla nuttalliana

★ SD state floral emblemNative

🌼 Blooms in ND: April–May
Plains pricklypear (Opuntia polyacantha)

Plains pricklypear

Opuntia polyacantha

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🌼 Blooms in ND: June–July

Sources