Have you seen a little yellow flower that you think is very cute blooming on your property??? It forms a ground covering mat of glossy green heart shaped leaves punctuated by buttercup like flowers. You might have looked at it and thought it was the first sign of spring!
If your answer is yes, get ready to do battle!! This is a really nasty invasive that hails from Europe and and is taking over North America. It is Ranunculus ficaria, Lesser Celandine, or more commonly- a cute little buttercup.
It was introduced as an ornamental plant in the trade in the late 1800’s and took off at lightning speed. A spring ephemeral, the plant appears very early in the spring, overtaking and displacing other spring ephemerals, and it has a very short growth window. An ephemeral simply means it appears for a short period of time, taking advantage of the available light before the trees leaf out, and then disappears.
Lesser Celandine is in the Buttercup family and is rampantly spreading everywhere and can grow in all kinds of conditions. I see it at many job sites and the first order of business is to spray it repeatedly with a strong systemic herbicide before it takes over the entire property. It is possible but very difficult to dig up, and most of the time, digging just spreads it around because of the finger-like tubers underground. If you use this method, carefully bag up all parts of the plant and dispose of in the trash – not your compost! You are bound to leave some behind so keep on eye out for stragglers. If you want to spray an organic herbicide, there are several available at the hardware store but is will take repeated applications.
Completing it’s life cycle in the winter and spring, it disappears when hot weather rolls around, but it is just getting ready to come out in ever greater numbers the following spring with multiplying tubers. It is relentless and very aggressive! This invasive is smothering out all the more desirable native plants which are so necessary for the local pollinators. Lesser
celandine emerges well in advance of native species and can establish and overtake areas rapidly – no natural predators to keep it in check, it spreads…. and spreads…. and spreads. And the diversity of the ecosystem suffers.
Sometimes in transplanting a plant from another property, you might import it unwittingly. I did this and as soon as I spotted it at the base of the desirable plant, I dug it up right away. Using an herbicide would have killed the other plant, so I will keep an eye out to make sure I got it all. So be careful of plant gifts! And remember, persistence is key with this plant. You can get rid of it, but it will take time.
Spray with a herbicide early and as soon as the flowers appear when the weather is at least 50 degrees. Read this article on tips on the type of herbicides that work from Penn State. As spring advances, spraying is more unsuccessful and you are more likely to over spray other species. If you don’t attack this as soon as it appears on your property, you will have ten times the amount that you had the first time. I normally don’t recommend herbicides for control of any species, but this is one case where you will need to take this step. You can dig up small infestations, but herbicides will be necessary for larger ones.
Often on a property, the Lesser Celandine is coming over from a neighbor. Talk to your neighbor and educate them on the importance to the environment of getting rid of this noxious weed.
For more information, read this great article ‘Lesser Celandine: An Aggressive Non-Native Spring Ephemeral’ and Fact Sheet: Lesser Celandine.
This plant is the worst. Agree with using herbicide and I RARELY employ.
I rarely use it but this is really the only way to get rid of it.
I will be vigilant and on the lookout for this plant in central Virginia! Thanks for the warning and good advice on removal!
Thanks for the warning and how to deal with it, and here I thought invasive worms were #1 on my garden watch list. 🙂
Thank you, Claire, for the heads up! I will definitely be on the watch here in my Midwest garden.
Send Michigan native plants to Europe.
They have their own share of our plants that are creating havoc!
When glyphosate & Aquasweep are harming so many people and should never be used… Penn State recommends it! Educate yourselves.
Colorado Extension Service has managed organic agriculture successfully.
Like any herbicide, use it with the proper instructions and clothing for safety. Unfortunately sometimes an herbicide is the only answer. I read the instructions on the Colorado Extension Service for removing Cheat Grass and Roundup was given as one of the options.