Recent rains and gusty winds brought down the last colorful autumn leaves. It will be a few weeks before crocus, hellebores, mahonias and edgeworthias start blooming. In browsing for new garden additions to brighten the winter scene, I ran across Winter Aconite, sometimes called Buttercup.

Eranthus hyemalis, pronounced er-AN-thiss hy-eh-MAY-liss, enjoy similar light conditions as Hellebores: full sun during bloom period, partial shade otherwise. This makes them an ideal candidate to plant under deciduous trees. They enjoy regular moisture but will tolerate less during dormancy. Golden yellow Winter Aconites bloom early, even before crocus.

The plants grow from tubers which should be planted rather deep (5 inches in good soil, a little shallower in heavy clay) so they are not damaged by cold. Soak the tubers overnight before planting to give them a good start. Winter Aconites are petite plants and should be planted close together in tight groups rather than spaced apart. They enjoy a rich soil and will survive in zones 4-9.

Plants can be propagated by division. Happy plants grown in fertile soil with plentiful moisture may reseed, sometimes heavily. They can be planted in the lawn as well as in flower beds, since the post-bloom foliage will wither and die before it’s time to mow grass in the spring. This is one of the few plants unaffected by the toxic substance, juglone, produced by black walnut trees.

Regretfully, I’ll need to forgo this one. Winter Aconites are extremely toxic to humans and pets. Eating the bloom, leaves or bulbs results in nausea, disrupts heart rhythms and can be deadly.

The photo is of a plant in a local botanical garden.