Anemone virginiana is an upright growing herbaceous species of flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae.

When the fruits, called achenes, are ripe they have gray-white colored, densely woolly styles, that allow them to blow away in the wind.

The fruit resembles a tumbleweed in that it is wind-dispersed and tumbles, an unusual mechanism of seed dispersal (see Diaspore (botany)).

Anemone virginiana was also given the common name "Thimbleweed" due to its pistil resembling the shape of a thimble.

This plant is very durable in different weather conditions, ranging from part shade to sun and being drought and cold tolerant.