£3.75
Out of stock
Lesser Celandine. Ficaria verna Flore Pleno Group (Ranunculus ficaria) is a real little cracker with endlessly double flowers in quite a lemony yellow with a lime green centre. The glossy petals are stacked up row upon row with a beautiful regularity and grace. With no central stamens they are reminiscent of Water lilies and of the flowers of Ranunculus constantinopolitanus Plenus. Plain green leaves. A very old sterile cultivar, first propagated in 1670 by John Rea
Out of stock
Lesser Celandine. Ficaria verna Flore Pleno Group (Ranunculus ficaria) is a real little cracker with endlessly double flowers in quite a lemony yellow with a lime green centre. The glossy petals are stacked up row upon row with a beautiful regularity and grace. With no central stamens they are reminiscent of Water lilies and of the flowers of Ranunculus constantinopolitanus Plenus. Plain green leaves. A very old sterile cultivar, first propagated in 1670 by John Rea
Wonderful ephemeral magic carpets for the Spring garden, slipping into dormancy by May. The double forms set little seed, but care should be taken to avoid digging through colonies in the dormant season as division of dormant crowns is a very effective means of vegetative propagation.
The raw leaves of Lesser celandine can be quite toxic if ingested, containing the toxin protoanemonin the same toxin as found in the baneberries. As such its planting in North America is prohibited on account of the possible effects on livestock. They are little trouble in the garden, only becoming so when people take the fresh leaves as a herbal remedy. Herbalists have long prescribed them as a cure for hemorrhoids – the common name is pilewort – on account of the supposed resemblance of the roots to piles. (It’s the old doctrine of signatures again). The use of any of the plant undried is not to be recommended.
They have along association with literature, Wordsworth having written poetry to them more than once.
