Description
Ficaria verna ‘Sylvie’
The heavily double flowers are creamy white, but glow with a pale yellow green interior, greener when young. Similar in flower to ‘Ken Aslet Double’. The slight violet flush on the reverse helps to mark out each individual petal. The leaves emerge a deep black purple with pale marginal flecks and fade rich green with black flecks towards the centre. Raised by Joe Sharman.
Wonderful ephemeral magic carpets for the Spring garden, slipping into dormancy by May. The double forms set little seed, but care should be taken to avoid digging through colonies in the dormant season as division of dormant crowns is a very effective means of vegetative propagation.
The raw leaves of Lesser celandine can be quite toxic if ingested, containing the toxin protoanemonin the same toxin as found in the baneberries. As such its planting in North America is prohibited on account of the possible effects on livestock. They are little trouble in the garden, only becoming so when people take the fresh leaves as a herbal remedy. Herbalists have long prescribed them as a cure for hemorrhoids – the common name is pilewort – on account of the supposed resemblance of the roots to piles. (It’s the old doctrine of signatures again). The use of any of the plant undried is not to be recommended.
They have along association with literature, Wordsworth having written poetry to them more than once.
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