It is a perennial herb native to northern North America from Alaska to New York and as far south as Arizona and New Mexico.

The flowers have no petals but four to eight (usually five) petallike sepals which may be nearly any color but typically white.

[2] There are several varieties of this species: Anemone multifida is found growing on calcareous ledges, in areas with rocky or gravelly soils around lakes and other water ways, and on dunes.

[2] It is typically found growing in subarctic and boreal areas in western and central North America but some populations are also found in mountainous and temperate habitats in the southern parts of its North American range.

[2] A. multifada is poisonous as it has high ranunculin content: about 8.1% in aerial parts and 4% in root per dry weight.