Winter Aconite
Do you need
a pretty yellow spring bloomer? Winter Aconite, Eranthis hyemalis, is also called Yellow Wolves Bane. You plant this tiny bulb in the fall and the
trick to getting them established is to plant them as soon as you get them and
look for nurseries that package them specially or dip them in wax so that they
don’t dry out before planting. They can
be planted in part shade to sun conditions in just about any soil, although
they prefer organically rich humus soil.
Winter Aconite is hardy in zones 5-7.
The pretty
shiny yellow flowers of Winter Aconite bloom when the early crocus bloom with
their flowers held above the palm shaped leaves. The flowers close at night and
on cloudy days. Winter Aconite will
spread quickly in a good location and fill it with color. If you are troubled
with crocus and other bulbs being eaten by squirrels and mice plant Winter
Aconite instead. The bulbs are poisonous
and animals don’t eat them. Deer won’t
eat the plants or flowers either. Make
sure that kids and pets can’t eat the plants or bulbs.
Winter
Aconite will naturalize under deciduous trees and is good for the edges of
woodland gardens. You can also plant
them along paths, in rock gardens, or near patios for early color. The leaves
die back in summer so you may need to mark the spot they are planted so as not
to disturb them with new fall plantings. Don’t remove the leaves until they had
yellowed and dried on their own. Winter
Aconite does not like transplanting and if you move some, re-plant the dug
bulbs immediately. Seed is sometimes
offered for Winter Aconite but it may take 2 years before seed started plants
bloom. The plants spread both by seed
and by creating new bulbs.
This small bulb deserves to be more widely
planted. It’s hardy and deer proof and a
great start to spring.
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