Plant Name Winter Aconite
Scientific Name Eranthis Hyemalis
Family Buttercup
Plant Type Perennial
Start of Blooming Season February
End of Blooming Season April
-2- Sample images submitted by MIROFOSS
-0- Sample images submitted by others


Winter aconite is a yellow flowering spring plant in the buttercup family. Winter aconite is native to the woodlands of Europe across Asia to Japan and has become an introduced species in the North East areas of North America. Winter aconite is valued in cultivation as one of the earliest of all flowers to appear in the spring. The Latin name eranthis hyemalis means "winter-flowering". The common name comes from the early flowering time and the resemblance of the leaves to those of the related genus Aconitum, the true aconite.


There is currently no commercial applications for winter aconite.

Within the realm of rational and holistic medicine, there is currently no historical, or current, uses for winter aconite.

Please note that MIROFOSS does not suggest in any way that plants should be used in place of proper medical and psychological care. This information is provided here as a reference only.


Winter aconite is considered to be poisonous and should not be consumed.


Winter aconite can grow in light (sandy) medium (loamy) or heavy (clay) soils, and prefers well drained soil. Winter aconite can grow in acid, neutral, and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade and is known for attracting insects. Due to the toxicity of winter aconite, it is considered to be deer resistant.

Soil Conditions
Soil Moisture
Sunlight
Notes:


Winter aconite is a tuberous rooted herbaceous perennial growing 5cm to 15cm in height with large 2cm to 3cm yellow, cup shaped flowers held above a collar of 3 leaf-like bracts, appearing in late winter and early spring. The six sepals are bright yellow and petaloid and the petals are in the form of tubular nectaries. There are numerous stamens and usually six unfused carpels. The fruit are follicles each containing several seeds. The leaves only expand fully when the flowers are nearly finished; they are digitate, 5-8 cm diameter, with several notches, and only last for 2 to 3 months before dying down during the late spring. As a spring ephemeral plant, its life cycle exploits the deciduous woodland canopy, flowering at the time of maximum sunlight reaching the forest floor, then completely dying back to its underground tuber after flowering.

Plant Height 5cm to 15cm
Habitat Forests, Thickets, Clearings, Lawns, Gardens
Leaves Digitate
Leaf Margin Entire
Leaf Venation Paraelle
Stems Smooth Stems
Flowering Season February to April
Flower Type Radially Symmetrical
Flower Colour Yellow
Pollination Bees, Insects
Flower Gender Flowers are hermaphrodite and the plants are self-fertile
Fruit Hard round seeds
USDA Zone 3B (-34°C to -37°C) cold weather limit


The following health hazards should be noted when handling or choosing a location to winter aconite:

TOXIC
Winter aconite contains many alkaloids and is poisonous to humans.

-Click here- or on the thumbnail image to see an artist rendering, from The United States Department of Agriculture, of winter aconite. (This image will open in a new browser tab)

There is currently no seed image(s) available for winter aconite.


Winter Aconite can be translated into the following select languages:

Arabic البيش الشتاء Bulgarian зимна самакитка Chinese (Sim) 冬季附子
Croatian zima jedić Czech zimní oměj Danish erantis
Dutch winterakoniet Esperanto vintro acónito Estonian talvel aconite
Finnish talvi ukonhattu French aconit d'hiver German Winterling
Greek ακόνιτο χειμώνα Hebrew חונק דוב החורף Hungarian téltemető
Italian inverno Aconitum Japanese 冬のトリカブト Korean 겨울 아코
Punjabi   Lithuanian Žiemos Akonit Norwegian vinteren Aconitum
Persian تاجالملوک زمستان Polish zima tojad Portuguese acónito de inverno
Romanian Aconite iarnă Russian зима аконита Slovak zimné prvosienka
Spanish acónito de invierno Swedish vintergäck Tagalog  
Turkish kış kurtboğan Ukrainian зима аконіту Vietnamese mùa đông cây phụ

The MIROFOSS database offers free printable garden tags for personal and non-profit use. These tags can be used to properly identify plant samples in a garden. Click on the tags shown on the the screen or -click here- to download a full size jpeg image for a winter aconite identification tag; which can be printed on paper or used with a plastic laser printer.

What's this?
This is a QR code (short for Quick Response) which gives fast-track access to MIROFOSS articles. QR Codes are barcodes that can be read by smart phone cameras. This QR Code is unique to this MIROFOSS article.

What can I do with it?
You can copy and print the QR code to a plant label, poster, book, web site, magazines, or newspaper so smart phone users can scan the QR Code which automatically takes them to this specific article.

Description Gleason, H. A., and A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. Second Edition. New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York.
Folklore Harrison, Lorraine (2012). RHS Latin for gardeners. United Kingdom: Mitchell Beazley. ISBN 9781845337315.
Image Rendering USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / USDA NRCS. Wetland flora: Field office illustrated guide to plant species. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Biology Dickinson, T.; Metsger, D.; Bull, J.; & Dickinson, R. (2004) ROM Field Guide to Wildflowers of Ontario. Toronto:Royal Ontario Museum,
Image Rendering USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / USDA NRCS. Wetland flora: Field office illustrated guide to plant species. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Environment National Audubon Society. Field Guide To Wildflowers (Eastern Region): Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 0-375-40232-2
Physical Identification National Audubon Society. Field Guide To Wildflowers (Eastern Region): Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 0-375-40232-2
October 05, 2015 The last time this page was updated
©2021 MIROFOSS™ Foundation