Plants
Winter Aconite
Eranthis hyemalis · Ranunculaceae
The winter aconite lives up to its name: often as early as January it opens its bright yellow bowl-shaped flowers above a green ruff — frequently before the snowdrops. Where it feels at home it naturalises into golden carpets that are among the first great insect pastures of the year. We source our plants in nursery quality via the Veiling Rhein-Maas.
- Light
- Light shade beneath deciduous shrubs; sunny at flowering time.
- Watering
- Fresh in spring; evenly cool and humus-rich in summer, no waterlogging.
- Care level
- Easy
- Botanical
- Eranthis hyemalis
Botanically the winter aconite is a buttercup relative, closer to hellebores and anemones than to the bulbs it flowers among. What look like petals are coloured sepals; beneath them sits the typical deeply cut leaf ruff.
Its flowers work like small solar collectors: they open only above about ten degrees and in sunshine, closing again in the cold. For honeybees and bumblebees flying on mild February days, a carpet of winter aconites is one of the most important early food sources there is.
The ideal spot is light shade beneath deciduous trees and shrubs on humus-rich, lime-tolerant soil that is fresh in spring and does not dry out completely in summer. There the winter aconite seeds around generously — though seedlings take three to four years to reach first flowering. Patience is rewarded with stands lasting decades.
The most important practical tip concerns planting: the small dark tubers dry out badly in trade and then establish poorly. Before planting in autumn, soak them overnight in lukewarm water — the success rate rises markedly. Even safer are pot plants bought in flower, or divisions right after flowering.
The downside has to be named clearly: like many buttercup relatives, the winter aconite is poisonous in all parts, especially the tuber, which contains heart-active glycosides. In gardens with small children or nibbling dogs, plant it deliberately out of the way — or skip it and enjoy it in parks and cottage gardens.
Is Winter Aconite toxic to children and pets?
- Children
- Toxic
- Cats
- Toxic
- Dogs
- Toxic
The winter aconite is poisonous in all parts, most of all in the tuber; it contains heart-active glycosides. For cats, dogs and children the rule is strict: allow no ingestion and store tubers safely. The sap can also irritate skin and mucous membranes.
Typical symptoms: After ingestion: burning in the mouth, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal cramps; larger amounts can cause heart rhythm disturbances and circulatory problems — then seek medical or veterinary help immediately.
In an emergency:call the German poison control centre in Bonn on +49 228 19240 (24/7) — for pets, contact an emergency vet directly. This information does not replace medical or veterinary advice.
Overview: toxic & non-toxic plants for cats, dogs and children
Care
- 01Choose light shade beneath deciduous shrubs with humus-rich soil.
- 02Soak the tubers overnight in lukewarm water before autumn planting.
- 03Set them about five centimetres deep in groups of at least ten.
- 04Keep the soil fresh in spring; shaded and cool in summer, but not bone-dry.
- 05Let the foliage die back completely and allow self-seeding.
- 06Wear gloves when planting — the sap can irritate the skin.
Frequently asked
- When does the winter aconite flower?
- Depending on the weather from January to March, in mild Lower Rhine winters often around the turn of the year. Together with snowdrops and hellebores it is among the very first flowers of the garden year, blooming for three to four weeks.
- Is the winter aconite toxic to dogs and cats?
- Yes, all parts are poisonous, the tuber especially. The glycosides it contains can affect the heart as well as causing gastrointestinal upset. Digging dogs are most at risk; after a suspected case please contact the vet directly.
- Why are my winter aconite tubers not establishing?
- Usually the tubers were too dried out at purchase. Soaking them overnight in lukewarm water before planting helps enormously. Alternatively plant pot-grown stock in flower or ask a neighbour for a division „in the green“ — both almost always take.
- Do winter aconite flowers only open in sun?
- Essentially yes: the flowers respond to light and temperature and only open above about ten degrees in sunshine. On dull, cold days they stay closed — protecting pollen and nectar for the first bee flights.