Ficaria verna ‘Vanessa’ (Ranunculus ficaria)

Description

Ficaria verna ‘Vanessa’

This showy little Ficaria has nice long stems supporting very large, double pale orange celandines with darker reverses which glow in the sunshine. It is a fertile variety raised by joe Sharman.

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.