Winter Aconite

Winter Aconite, originally uploaded by Dope on the Slope.

 

For I'm called Little Buttercup -- dear Little Buttercup, Though I could never tell why, But still I'm called Buttercup -- poor little Buttercup, Sweet Little Buttercup I!
-- Gilbert and Sullivan

I photographed this cluster of winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis), an early blooming member of the buttercup family, growing in the sideyard at Old First Reformed Church.

Flatbush Gardener has also bagged a number of trophies recently, including a crocus and a snowdrop.

For those of you interested in early bloomers (not to be confused with antique underwear), there is an excellent article about them on the BBG's website entitled "Spring Peepers - Little Bulbs To Trumpet A New Season." An excerpt:

These little bulbs are the true harbingers of spring. They thrust through matted leaf litter and mulch with surprising gusto to carpet the ground with color and catch the early-spring sunlight before trees and shrubs have leafed out. Their arrival depends on the whims of Mother Nature, of course, but bloom time can be anywhere from January through April, depending on the region and severity of winter.

Enjoy.

Comments

[Xris (Flatbush Gardener)]

My tiny clump of Winter Aconite is at the same stage. I'm waiting for the blooms to open any day now.