The large blooms of
anemone occidentalis seem out of place above the clusters of tiny leaves around the base, and they last only for a short time. The plant grows in mountainous regions of the West, flowering soon after the snows melt. Both leaf stalks and flower stems are covered by relatively long, white, silky hairs. Each stem is topped by 5, 6 or 7 sepals forming a cup-shaped flower containing up to 200 small yellow stamens. In mid to late summer the flowers are followed by a fluffy mass of seeds, which persists for several months.