Ranunculus ficaria

[Martin Baxendale]

Mark, it's afwully lonely in this Ranunc. ficaria thread! I get the impression our interest in celandines leaves most forumists even colder than the white fever does? Only to be expected I suppose, discussing 'weeds' in an alpine forum! 

That green shading on the back of the yellow petals is nice.

Maybe I should try some deliberate crosses. O dear God, no! Not another breeding programme! I'm already being tempted into ipheon crosses. With the snowdrops and hellebores (not to mention a few forays into narcissus) I'm already overflowing with pots and labels.

[razvan chisu]

I'm watching this thread with interest. Unfortunatelly I dont grow any interesting forms yet. The woods around my city seem to be filled with un-interesting ficarias. No doubles, no shades, ... just plain 'small lettuce' as we call them here, used for soups and stews.
Razvan
ps. a breeding program would be very interesting with these plants.

[Martin Baxendale]

Razvan, I didn't know that the leaves of Ranunculus ficaria are edible. That's interesting. Do you know what they taste like? I guess I could try them myself. Must they be cooked or can they also be eaten raw?

[Martin Baxendale]

Here's a link to a plant database website with info about how edible lesser celandines are. There are issues with toxicity, so care needs to be taken. Not sure if I'll be trying them! 

http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Ranunculus+ficaria

[Martin Baxendale]

According to the website, as well as being edible at the right stage of growth, lesser celandines are also good for treating piles and cleaning your teeth (though presumably with separate bunches) 

[razvan chisu]

We commonly use them in soups and as a spinach substitute in early spring. Popular wisdom says one should consume them only till flowering. On the plants of the future website I see they say that plants build up toxins as fruit mature.

[Maggi Young]

Soooooo, you can EAT them.... okay, now you've got my attention!

[Joakim B]

Martin I do hope my commemt about ALMOST weed on the standard yellow has not stopped anyone from posting.
I can say that there is an increased interest for this plants in Sweden even though not many cultivar is out there yet. Or atleast that is what I belive. England/UK seems to be the hotspot for there ones.

Regarding breeding why not just takes picks on mother and father (and polinate them) but let nature take care of soing the seeds and  bringing the seedlngs up. Just mark the flower that You polinated with a string so that You know not to take the seedhead of. That would give seedings that are vigorous enough to take care of them self and hopfully less trouble for You. Maybe it would take a bit longer for the plants to bloom and maybe there would be less control but maybe that would work as a less space demanding version of breeding.
I will take the oportunity when I have it to inspect if there is somethin interesting with the ones we have.

Hope to see more pics of these little darlings.

Kind regards
Joakim

[Martin Baxendale]

No, Joakim, I'm sure you have not put anyone off posting about the celandines. They can be rather a 'weedy' type of plant, and many gardeners here are wary of putting them in the garden in case they get out of control (which they can do, especially if space is limited).

[SueG]

I think there's a lot to be said for plants which are easy to grow and tough and look jolly at this time of year. I grow several different sorts and wouldn't be without them. I have very little problems with them seeding (these could be famous last words I know) but look forward to them coming through early in the year and then flowering for weeks.
I just don't like the orange ones - spoils a perfectly good flower, and double orange ones are awful. Double yellow and cream are fine and I really enjoy 'Green Petal' and wish mine would flower more.
Takes all sorts I suppose!
Sue

[mark smyth]

Plant snobbery, Martin.

Using them to treat Piles goes back to Medievil/Middle Age times. They cured Piles vecause they look like Piles. Not that I have ever seen any.

[Martin Baxendale]

I understand they're quite difficult to see, Mark (if they're your own, and you don't have a mirror handy) 

[Joakim B]

Could the plant snobbery have come with the native plant being more available and then not so interested for the upper clases (in the early days) and that that somehow got stuck.
The galanthus where around the estates and it is not that native in UK atleast not that many forms that exists today.
Primula veris and vulgaris are more common and hence "common" where as the auriculas were imported atleast in UK and hence a rarety to be adored and breed.
The native plants generally thrive well and can be almost a weed so there is some point in the causion.
Maybe I am reading to much into "common plants" but it was a interesting thought (maybe totally wrong) how older times can influence what is interesting plants today.

Sorry for going slightly a strey but there have not been any pictures to adore for a while in this thread.
Joakim

[Paul T]

Joakim,

One mans weed is another mans treasure.  You commented that Hepaticas were nearly a weed...... here in Australia they're rare as hens teeth. LOL 

As to the R. ficaria.... I have a small collection of them but knowing me I will add more as I can find them!  I collect far too many things, as most of the regulars here would know.  I might have been absent from here for a few months but it hasn't stopped my collecting addiction! (as if it COULD be stopped! <grin>)

[Joakim B]

Paul
If I ever call hepatica a weed smack me !!.
I said ranunculus ficara and anemone nemorosa is almost a weed.
Per Åke mensioned that some Sweds think that hepatica is more of comon "wild wood plant" and hence would not actively take it into the garden.
There are a places with thousends of hepaticas blooming and it is a wonderfull sight. If one have them close by maybe one does not want to have them in the garden aswell. I am not THAT one, I want them even if it also exist 20-30 minutes walk from us.

Wellcome back by the way
Joakim