Aerial shoots 5-18 cm, from rhizomes, rhizomes ascending to horizontal. Basal leaves 3-15, often purplish abaxially, simple, deeply divided; petiole 5-20 cm; leaf blade widely orbiculate, 1.5-7 × 2-10 cm, base cordate, margins entire, apex rounded, surfaces strongly villous to glabrescent; lobes 3(-4), widely ovate, 1-4 cm wide; middle lobe 50-70(-75)% of total blade length. Inflorescences 1-flowered, villous to pilose; involucral bracts 3, 1-tiered, simple, dissimilar to basal leaves, sessile, calyx-like, closely subtending flower, ovate or elliptic, 0.65-1.8 × 0.5-1.2 cm, bases distinct, cuneate, margins entire, apex obtuse, strongly villous to glabrescent. Flowers: sepals 5-12, white to pink or bluish, ovate to obovate 7.5-14.5 × 3.5-7.7 mm, glabrous; petals absent; stamens 10-30. Heads of achenes spheric; pedicel 0.1-0.4 cm. Achenes: body narrowly ovoid, 3.5-5 × 1.2-1.6 mm, slightly winged, hispid, gradually tapering; beak indistinct. 2 n =14. Flowering spring. Mixed woods, often in association with both conifers and deciduous trees; 0-1200 m; Man., N.B., N.S., Ont., Que.; Ala., Ark., Conn., Del., D.C., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Ky., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., Miss., Mo., N.H., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Pa., R.I., S.C., Tenn., Vt., Va., W.Va., Wis. Anemone americana is found in habitats similar to those of A . acutiloba but usually in drier sites with more acid soils.