Giant Plumose Anemone

Metridium farcimen

The giant plumose anemone (Metridium farcimen) is one of the largest sea anemones in the world, reaching up to 1 meter tall with a column diameter of 25 cm. It has a smooth, white to orange cylindrical column topped with a crown of hundreds of fine, feathery tentacles creating a plume-like appearance. Found along the Pacific coast of North America from Alaska to southern California and in the western Pacific, it inhabits rocky reefs, pier pilings, and hard substrates at depths of 0 to 40 meters. This species forms dense aggregations called anemone gardens, creating spectacular underwater landscapes. It is a filter feeder, using its numerous fine tentacles to capture zooplankton and suspended organic particles from the water column. Dense colonies on pier pilings and reef walls create some of the most dramatic and photogenic scenes in Pacific Northwest diving.