I love celandines! Their small, cheerful bright yellow flowers and heart-shaped leaves brighten up the garden in early spring.
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The Lesser Celandine is a native British woodland plant that prefers shady or semi-shady areas. It’s a spring ephemeral, meaning it pops up early in spring, flowers quickly, and then dies back completely by late spring or early summer. They have glossy, buttercup-like yellow flowers (typically 8–12 petals) that bloom close to the ground and leaves that are dark green, shiny, and often heart- or kidney-shaped. They are a symbol of early spring, rebirth, and renewal in poetry. Wordsworth even wrote multiple poems about the "Kindly, unassuming spirit"! |
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Lesser celandines provide some early nectar and pollen for bees — particularly solitary bees and queen bumblebees just emerging from hibernation.
They flower very early (often February to April), which is prime time for hungry pollinators looking for a boost. Their bright yellow flowers are easily spotted and do produce nectar and pollen.
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So why am I digging them all up? They are the botanical equivalent of that charming guest who overstays their welcome… shows up early, brightens everything with their sunny personality, and then takes over the whole house before quietly vanishing for the summer, leaving chaos in their wake. |
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They grow from tubers and produces small bulbils in leaf axils. It reproduces both by seed and vegetatively through tubers and bulbils — making it hard to control once established. In many parts of the U.S. and Canada, lesser celandine is considered a problematic invasive species because it forms dense mats that outcompete native spring wildflowers. |
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I know very well that I will never get them all and they will be back next year in full force. I have a lot of bulbs and perennials and have found that by clearing what I can find now gives the rest of the garden a chance to flourish.
I am not trying to conquer every inch, just giving the bulbs and perennials the breathing room they need to shine.
