Water Arum vs Canada Anemone - TreeTime.ca

Water Arum vs Canada Anemone

Calla palustris

Anemonastrum canadense (Anemone canadensis)

CUSTOM GROW

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Water Arum
Canada Anemone

Water Arum is a native perennial wetland plant known for its showy white oval sheaths (spathe) that surround a yellow-green, cylindrical flower spike (spadix). It has large, oblong, heart-shaped leaves on stems that rise above the water from shallow, spreading rhizomes. The blossoms are followed in late summer by tiny, pear-shaped fruits that ripen to bright red, adding ornamental interest to wet habitats.

Water Arum provides food for birds and small mammals that eat its berries, and its flowers attract pollinators. It can tolerate cold climates and forms colonies in shallow water and saturated soils. It is well-suited for ecological restoration, riparian planting, naturalisation, and habitat projects in wet and shaded environments.

Canada Anemone is a native perennial wildflower known for its white, buttercup-like flowers. Blooming from mid-spring to early summer, it attracts a variety of pollinators, including bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. Its deep green foliage, characterized by deeply cut leaves with sharply toothed edges, adds texture and visual interest to the landscape even when the plant is not in bloom.

Canada Anemone grows naturally in moist meadows, forest edges, and riparian zones. Spreading rapidly through underground rhizomes, it forms large colonies that can help stabilize soil. It is well-suited to naturalization and restoration projects, including revegetating difficult, wet sites. Also suitable for rain gardens and pollinator gardens, but extra care and maintenance may be required to control its spread in smaller urban yards.

Water Arum Quick Facts

Canada Anemone Quick Facts

Zone: 1b
Zone: 3a
Height: 0.2 m (0.8 ft)
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 0.2 m (0.8 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Light: shade, partial shade
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: wet
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: colony-forming
Growth form: spreading, colony forming
Spreading: rhizomes - medium, seeds - low
Spreading: rhizomes - high
Maintenance: medium

Toxicity: toxic if ingested

Toxicity: all plants parts toxic if ingested, can cause skin irritation
Flowers: white sheath around and yellow spike
Flowers: white, cup-shaped
Bloom time: spring to summer
Bloom time: mid spring to early summer
Berries: red, in clusters
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, PE
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, NT, NU, PE
Other Names: bog arum, swamp lily, wild calla, wild dragon
Other Names: american meadow anemone, meadow anemone, roundleaf anemone, roundleaf thimbleweed