Winter Aconite

Winter Aconite
By Lou Paun
Winter Aconite (Eranthis) - E. hyemalis is a pretty early plant with yellow flowers surrounded by a whorl of shining green. It is 3 to 8 inches high, and flowers from January to March.

Winter Aconite
Eranthis hyemalis
Genus: Eranthis
Species: hyemalis ...

Winter Aconites are tough plants and can survive being buried by snow.
This sequence was filmed in my studio. The snow was taken from my garden and took all night to melt.

Description:
Winter Aconite (shown here) and Snowdrops are the first bulbs to flower in Winter, usually opening during the sporadic warm days of February and continuing into March.

Some bulbs, such as winter aconites, bluebells and snowdrops, are thought to be best planted, moved or divided 'in the green', when flowering is over but they are still in leaf. However, dried bulbs are often offered and can be successful.

Snowdrop, usually spoken of as the first flower of our year, though the Winter Aconite has perhaps a better title to be so considered, has never been of much account in physic, and has never been recognized.

All kinds of bulbs planted and established to grow in natural conditions without periodic lifting look 'right'. Snowdrops, winter aconites, daffodils, anemones and bluebells look their best when growing as if they owned the site.

Leucojum vernum Snowpake
More Snowdrops
Chionodoxa - Glory of the Snow
Crocus
Eranthis hyemalis - The Winter Aconite
Narcissus early types
Iris danfordiae and Iris reticulata varieties
Scilla
Trillium ...

Winter Aconite (Eranthis hyemalis)
Winter Daphne (Daphne odora 'Aureo-marginata')
Winter Heath (Erica carnea 'Springwood White')
Winter Heath (Erica carnea 'Boskoop')
Winter Jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum)
Winter's Bark (Drimys winteri) ...

Camassia.
Lily-of-the-valley.
Winter aconite (_Eranthis hycmalis_).
Dog-tooth violets (_Erythronium_).
Crown imperial (_Fritillaria Imperialis_).
Fritillary (_Fritillaria Mekagris_).
Trilliums.
Lilies.

Cyclamen are easily covered up and out-competed by spreading perennials, so their best companions are small clumping plants such as anemone, buttercup, chionodoxa, crocus, scilla, snowdrops, winter aconites, primula, and small ferns and hostas.

Others that can easily be forced include Dutch iris (I. x hollandica) and netted iris (Iris reticulata), snowdrop (Galanthus species), grape hyacinth (Muscari species), winter aconite (Eranthis species), star-of-Bethlehem (Ornithogalum species), ...

Helleborus niger (Black Hellebore, Christmas Rose)
Helleborus orientalis (Lenten Rose)
Helleborus viridis (Green Hellebore)
Helleborus hyemalis synonym of Eranthis hyemalis (Winterling, Winter Aconite) ...

Among them are Muscari (Grape Hyacinth) in variety - such as M. tubergenianum, M. botryoides, M. azureum, and M. armeniacum; Tulipa species; Fritillaria (Fritillary); Scilla campanulata (Spanish Bluebell); Eranthis (Winter Aconite); ...

When the flower is sessile the bracts are often applied closely to the calyx, and may thus be confounded with it, as in the order Malvaceae and species of Dianthus and winter aconite (Eranthis), ...

Wild Liquorice, Wild Lupin, Wild Madder, Wild Mignonette, Wild Oat, Wild Pansy, Wild Parsnip, Wild Pink, Wild Plum, Wild Privet, Wild Radish, Wild Service Tree, Wild Strawberry, Wild Thyme, Wild Tulip, Wild Turnip, Wineberry, Winter Aconite, ...

Winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis)
Winterberry, Japanese holly (Ilex verticillata, Ilex crenata)
Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens)
Wisteria (Wisteria species)
Witch hazel (Hamamelis species)
Witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) ...

See also: Aconite, May, Green, Snowdrop, Snow