Eranthis cilicica - Winter Aconite

Family: Ranunculaceae

Common Name(s): Winter aconite

Native to: Southern Europe and Asia

Flowering: Spring

Watering: Keep the soil most during Autumn and Spring

Planting Aspect: Full Sun, Part Shade

Preferred Climate:

 

Temperate, Subtropical, Grassland

Description

This 5cm short stemmed winter aconite has bright yellow buttercup like flowers surrounded by a ruff of green leaves and is one of the earliest to bloom spring bulbs in late winter to early spring. Planted in drifts, it makes an easy to naturalise plant under deciduous trees and mixes pleasantly with all early spring flowering bulbs such as crocus and cyclamen. They can also be grown in pots and containers.

Cultivation

Choose a sunny or only lightly shaded position with an alkaline, organic rich, well drained soil. Prepare the growing site by digging over the soil and adding a good handful of blood and bone, rich compost or well decayed animal manure prior to planting out. Plant them about 25mm deep and 75mm apart in groups. Ensure they have ample moisture during autumn and spring and feed every spring as new growth is made. If grown in pots, they must be over-wintered outside and brought indoors when only 1 or 2 are in flower. Protect them from snails and slugs.