Winter Aconite blooming happily in early spring garden
Winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) brings a welcome glow of spring to the garden. It is one of the earliest bulbs to bloom in spring and its small golden flowers look like tiny buttercups. I first noticed this plant in the front shrub border at the Boerner Botanical Gardens and I have been checking on them once a week when I attend my Garden & Landscape Design class. These little gold flowers have been blooming for 3 weeks through snow and cold and I am curious to see just how long they do last. Since I do not have these in my own garden, I had to do a bit of digging to learn more about them.
Research
This plant is one of the minor bulbs planted in fall along with tulips and daffodils. It is low growing and forms rounded clumps about 3-6 inches tall and wide with beautiful golden blooms. Winter aconites very easy plants, flowering reliably where little else will grow, and are especially good for naturalizing under trees and shrubs. In the wild these do exactly what bulbs are supposed to do. They grow, flower and seed while light penetrates the bare branches of the trees above them. Then they die back, their active growth complete, just as the canopy starts to cast its shade. Winter aconite seeds readily and will spread a bit to form colonies. Lift clumps while still green when transplanting to new areas or when overcrowded. This plant pairs well with snowdrops and pulmonarias and will do well with hardy geraniums and asters.
Growing tips
- Likes fertile soil
- Good drainage is essential, but not dry soil – tubers hate drying out
- Plant is poisonous – especially tuber
- Leaves must be left to die down to replenish bulbs
- Deer and rabbit resistant
- Hardy in zones 4-7