Anemone virginiana - is it weedy?

[McDonough]

Last year I bought a couple plants of Anemone virginiana at a NARGS Chapter seedling sale, I wasn't familiar with what this plant was all about.  I liked the spring foliage, but as the stems shot up to 2' (60 cm) with ugly whitish flowers, and remembering advice from at least one NARGS member to "watch" this plant as it can spread too far and wide, I dug it up and threw it out.  I do realize that the thimble-like seed heads (accounting for the common name of Tall Thimbleweed) might be some of the attraction, but the plant wasn't attractive enough to be worth the space. 

Just noticed today a whole crop of leaves sprouting from where I thought I had dug up the whole plant, that's a worrisome sign, maybe any bit of root left behind sprouts.  Should I be afraid of this one?

[McDonough]

Here's what the plant looks like... click on the "More Images" tab to see the flowers and "thimbles":
http://www.prairiemoon.com/seeds/wildflowers-forbs/anemone-virginiana-tall-thimbleweed

[RickR]

I am not sure which species of thimbleweed I see growing in the wild here.  But I can say that the "thimbles" are not visually interesting, at least to me, and aren't worth keeping around.

Regarding invasive tendencies, I don't know.  But I can say it competes well with the same kinds of vegetation that A. canadensis does...

[ncole]

I have Anemone canadensis and it is pretty but a horrible invasive nature to it. 

[Lis Allison]

Yes, if you don't like it! But if you keep the 'thimbles' cut off before they fluff out and release the seeds, you shouldn't have any problems. The plant does come back from bits of root, though, so if you really want to get rid of it, dig it out carefully.

It's cousin, A. riparia, has a more attractive flower and is useful under trees and other dry semi-shady places. Here are some pics:

[RickR]

Nice pics, Lis, and thanks for the useful information!

[McDonough]

Lis, Anemone riparia looks prettier than virginiana.  Does A. riparia spread much?

I just dug out the root sprouts on A. virginiana... every tidbit of remnant roots had sprouted... I'm sure that's not the last sprout I'll see.  This one has now moved to the top of my invasive-do-not-grow-list.

[RickR]

Mark, that might have been a major disaster, had Lis not posted here.

Thank goodness!

[Hoy]

I've never had problems with A.virginiana spreading- my slugs are greedyguts!