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Herbaceous Perennial

Ficaria verna

lesser celandine

A tuberous perennial with long-stemmed, dark green glossy leaves with silver or bronze markings. Bright golden yellow cup-shaped flowers appear in spring, fading to white with age. Some variants can be very invasive but if you are relaxed about your garden can be good for a woodland area or for ground cover.

Other common names

pilewort

Synonyms

Ranunculus ficaria 'Verna'

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Ultimate height

0.1–0.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

5–10 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Loam

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full shade
Partial shade

Aspect

North–facing or East–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Ranunculaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: Yes
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy, Clump forming
Potentially harmful: Harmful if eaten, skin irritant. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling
Genus: Ficaria is a relatively small genus of European herbs. It is closely related to buttercups (Ranunculus) and is sometimes included within that genus
Name status: Correct
Plant range: Europe, NW Africa, SW Asia

How to grow

Cultivation

Prefers moist, humus-rich soil in partial or full shade. Occurs naturally in open wood, hedges and damp meadows. A good early source of pollen and nectar for insects, though plants can spread and have potential to become a nuisance if not controlled. See celandine cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by seeds, bulbils and tubers

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Wildlife gardens
Ground cover

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs, snails and aphids

Diseases

May be susceptible to powdery mildews on drier soils

Get involved

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