It was first described to science in 1846 in a volume by James Dwight Dana, reporting on the animals found on the United States Exploring Expedition.

As the name burrowing anemone suggests, the column of this animal is usually buried to a greater or lesser extent.

They and the oral disk vary in color between individuals and can be green, brown, black, pink or orange.

[3] Burrowing anemones are often solitary on the open coast, and are found living closer together in estuaries.

[3] The burrowing anemone prefers sandy, shelly, muddy, or cobbled bottoms which are loose enough for the animal to bury itself.

Sexual reproduction occurs through broadcast spawning, where eggs and sperm are released into the sea to achieve fertilization.

The releases of gametes appears to be coordinated, and mass spawning events have been observed at low tide.