Start the week with a wildflower No 2.
Lesser Celandine (Ficaria verna), Spring Messenger
One of our earliest Spring flowers, representing “joy to come” in the language of flowers. A reminder that winter eventually ends. The word ‘celandine’ comes from the Greek chelidon meaning ‘swallow’ - another harbinger of Spring.
Look out on verges and in woodlands for its dark green, fleshy heart shaped leaves that can have white markings, and stars of 8– 12 of shining yellow petals with a crowd of stamens at the centre. These cheery flowers wisely refuse to open in wet gloomy weather, and close at night - I can relate to that!
The knobbly tubers on underground roots have inspired the less pleasant folk name “pilewort” from the medieval belief (doctrine of signatures) that resemblance to a part of the body was a sign it could treat disease in that part. Don’t try this at home folks! The plant is edible but should be cooked to be safe. Usually gone by May, so take time to take a close look while it is here.
Wordsworth’s favourite flower - not the daffodill. “there’s a flower that shall be mine, it’s the little celandine”.
Lovely article from Country Life
Note don’t eat raw. Lesser Celandine information from EatWeeds
