An early spring flower (Winter Aconite (Eranthis))

Member Name: mumsymary

Product:	Winter Aconite (Eranthis)
Date:	10/01/09 (153 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: pretty

Disadvantages: none

It will soon be time to see the small golden blooms of winter aconite/ Eranthis hyemalis in my garden. I grew up seeing a patch of these flowers in a bed just outside my parent's back door. I dug some of their tubers a few years ago and planted in my garden. I am glad I did as not only are these a fantastic bright cheerful spring flower but they remind me of my now deceased parents


These plants will flower in February and March, they are a late winter early spring flower and as such really cheer the garden up. These flowers will often be seen peeping up through the snow with snowdrops but before the crocus. The flowers are short only up to 6 inches /16 cm tall.
The aconite is a member of the buttercup family and will spread by seed and tubers covering a large amount of ground. They look fantastic in a rock garden or planted naturally in a woodland garden and under the shrubs in my front garden. A pot by the front door would look good covered in these bright flowers.
Tubers can be bought in garden centers on and off line; a tuber is an sswollen part of an underground stem or root or root.

The aconite is easy to grow grows well in my parents clay soil and do ok on my chalk soil too they grow fine in sun or shade. Members of the buttercup family, they are very easy to grow in sun or part shade, reaching only 3-5 inches tall. The best time to plant these bulbs/tubers is in the autumn. I note http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants /_/bulbs/eranthis-hyemalis/classid.2000007644/ are selling a pot of these for £2.93p

The aconite plant
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The leaves are attractive, an almost circular divided frilly collar like leaf grows immediately below the bright yellow flower bloom. Sometimes the aconite is a white flower. The flowers have 6 petals, these are technically sepals but look like petals they are very reminiscent of the buttercup flower. The sepals/ petals have a waxy feel to them.
(Sepals are Part of the flower, that is usually green, they surround and protect the flower in bud. Some plants do not have petals so the sepals trend to be brightly colored to take their place)

The stamens in the centre of the flower are yellow with pollen.
The aconite is a good early source of nectar for insects I have seen bees and other little insects on my dads aconite flowers.
The aconite plant will die down in the late spring and rest till the next year.

Although these plants are beautiful they are poisonous all parts are poisonous if eaten

I am looking forward top seeing mine in bloom soon and giving me that feeling that spring will soon be on its way.

Summary: A bright cheery spring flower