Ranunculus ficaria Collarette - Lesser Celandine

The Ranunculus ficaria 'Collarette' is a variety of lesser celandine that is as beautiful in appearance as it is robust in temperament. This small perennial chooses the beginning of spring to grow and bloom, before going dormant until the following autumn. During these few weeks, it embellishes the ground with a carpet of small, magnificent leaves, marbled with silver and black, where tightly packed, uniquely shaped flowers sparkle like gold. With their very double hearts surrounded by a collar of shiny petals, they evoke golden jewels. Like its woodland ancestor, 'Collarette' gradually spreads, eventually forming beautiful colonies in slightly cool soils, even under the cover of deciduous trees which it tolerates the root competition perfectly. Despite its ephemeral spring growth period, this plant is extremely perennial. Pair it with blue liverworts, anemones blanda.

The Ranunculus ficaria, also known by its Latin names Ficaria verna and Ficaria ranunculoides or simply lesser celandine, belongs to the Ranunculaceae family, just like our famous buttercup. It is native to Europe, western Asia and North Africa, and has been introduced to North America where it has become invasive in some areas. It can be found in open deciduous woodlands, where it flowers early in spring before the trees' leaves develop, as well as forest edges and cool, moist areas like riverbanks. It also thrives in meadows, slopes, and hedges, growing up to 1600m (5249ft) in altitude, always in relatively moist soil.

It is a small perennial plant with brown and swollen roots that form small tubers. These ensure its vegetative multiplication, allowing it to colonize space more or less rapidly. Its aerial growth disappears after flowering, which corresponds to its dormant period. Lesser celandine spends the first part of winter as buds and develops its new foliage before flowering, in January-February depending on the climate. 

The cultivar 'Collarette' stands out with its beautifully marbled foliage and double-hearted flowers. Forming a small tuft of 5-7 cm (2-3in) in height for foliage, this lesser celandine spreads at least 30 cm (12in) on the ground. Its foliage consists of small heart-shaped leaves, 4 to 6 cm (2in) wide, thick, shiny, marked by a long black area along the central vein. The lamina is variegated with different shades of green and silver. Flowering occurs from March to May depending on the climate, sometimes as early as February. Clumps of foliage emerge from peduncles 15-20 cm (6-8in) tall, each bearing a solitary flower measuring 3-4 cm (1-2in) in diameter, composed of 6 to 12 petals of a light and shiny yellow, surrounding a ring where numerous petal-like structures are tightly packed. The flower's center is a light green. The flower opens in the morning and closes in the evening, even in cloudy or rainy weather. Before the vegetation disappears, the plant develops bulblets in the axils of the leaves. They detach along with a small piece of stem with a bud. This mini seedling falls to the ground and roots there, ensuring the multiplication of lesser celandine, which reproduces very little by seeds.

The 'Collarette' lesser celandine is very easy to grow in ordinary soil and has good hardiness (-20°C (-4°F)). It prefers moist soils, even marshy ones, but also adapts easily to any good soil that is not too dry. Its summer dormancy allows it to withstand drier periods. It can also be grown in pots to flower on the terrace or balcony, starting from late winter. Plant it at the edge of a grove or in a wildflower bed, in partial shade or full sun, alongside liverworts (Hepatica nobilis), lungworts, brunneras, or blue forget-me-nots, which complement its colour. It is also a good perennial for wet banks, even in partial shade, next to Rodgersias pinnata Chocolate Wings or Actaea simplex Brunette, with their purple foliage.