Winter aconites welcome the approaching spring with golden-yellow flowers when all other plants are still in deep hibernation. If you don't want to miss this flower premiere, look here for answers to previously unanswered questions about the cultivation of Eranthis hyemalis.
How and when do you plant winter aconites?
Winter aconites (Eranthis hyemalis) are early bloomers that bloom from February to March. A partially shaded, nutrient-rich location is chosen for planting. The tubers are buried about 5 cm deep in the soil in autumn, with a distance of 10-20 cm between the plants.
Planting winterlings correctly
On a mild autumn day in September or October, planting winter aconites begins by soaking the flower tubers in a lukewarm water bath for a few hours. In the meantime, prepare the soil in a partially shaded, nutrient-rich and not too dry location. Thorough raking and weeding is a top priority, because the finer the substrate, the more vitally the plant will root. This is how it continues:
- Dig small planting holes at a distance of 10-20 cm
- Enrich the excavation with compost and horn shavings
- Insert one tuber at a time about 5 cm deep and firm the soil with your hands
- Water the planting site and cover with compost or peat moss
Ideally, you should mark the location so that no one accidentally rakes or digs here. Any sprouting weeds are simply plucked out at this point. If the garden is infested with voles, first sink a vole basket in the ground and only then plant the Eranthis hyemalis.
Care tips
Winterlingen's compact care protocol fits on a single page of your notebook. How to properly treat the flower:
- Water winterlings when it is dry
- Do not fertilize in normal garden soil
- Administer starter fertilization in the form of compost in poor soil
- Light winter protection only required in the year of planting
So that the plant can reproduce by self-sowing, only cut off the withered flower stalks when the ripe follicles have burst. The foliage remains on the rhizome until it has completely yellowed. During this time, the remaining nutrients move from the leaves into the tuber to serve as an energy reserve for the next season. Only then do you cut the leaves close to the ground.
Which location is suitable?
Assign Eranthis hyemalis to a sunny to partially shaded location. Ideally, the bed is located under late-blooming deciduous trees. In this position, enough light reaches the flower during the flowering period. If the canopy later covers the location in shade, the plant is of little concern for this fact because it has long since retreated.
The correct planting distance
If you choose a planting distance between 10 and 20 centimeters, the spring flower will form a dense carpet of flowers within a short time. At this distance, each plant has enough space so that the rhizome can spread quickly in the ground and provide offspring.
What soil does the plant need?
Eranthis hyemalis develops optimally in nutrient-rich, humus-rich and fresh, moist soil. Avoid a location with soil that is too acidic, because in the worst case scenario the flowers will not bloom. A neighborhood with rhododendrons may seem tempting due to visual aspects; From a horticultural perspective, being close to a plant in an acidic substrate makes no sense. In the balcony box and pot, we recommend using commercially available potting soil (€10.00 on Amazon) as a substrate, enriched with compost and horn shavings as well as a handful of leaf mold.
What is the best time to plant?
As a typical spring bloomer and classic tuberous plant, Eranthis hyemalis wants to be planted in the ground in autumn. Choose a mild day between late August and mid-October to plant the bulbs. Please consider the high poison content of the rhizomes when planting them in the ground.
When is flowering time?
The flowering period of Eranthis hyemalis extends from February to March. If winter brings temperate weather, you can look forward to the bright yellow flower heads and the intoxicating scent in mild locations as early as January. Follow the race between winter aconites and snowdrops for the first blossom of the year with your family and bet on this year's winner.
Cut winter aconites correctly
Cut out the withered flowers immediately, depriving the flower of its ability to self-sow. However, if self-propagation is not desired, only the flower stems are cut out. The foliage is initially drawn in by the rhizome as the remaining nutrients are stored there as a reserve for the next season. Only when the leaves have yellowed do you cut them off close to the ground.
Watering winterlings
If winter aconites are expected to have soil that is too dry, in the worst case scenario they will refuse to bloom or end this year's flower festival. Therefore, water regularly when it is dry without causing waterlogging. Ideally, you should use tap water and collected rainwater alternately so that excess lime does not develop in the soil.
Fertilize winterlings properly
The nutrient-rich garden soil contains enough nutrients that the Eranthis hyemalis can feed on. Applying fertilizer, especially a nitrogen-rich preparation, could encourage foliage growth while stalling flowering. Therefore, only apply a portion of compost in early spring as starting fertilizer in poor locations.
Pests
Eranthis hyemalis is at the top of the vole menu. The insatiable pests care very little about the toxicity. So that the rodents don't attack the juicy tubers, they should be planted in the vole basket. This is a close-meshed wire basket that you first sink into the planting hole to place the rhizomes in.
Wintering
A well-established winter aconite can tolerate frost down to -29 degrees Celsius. Light protection is only recommended in the year of planting. Therefore, cover the bed with compost, leaves or brushwood before the onset of winter. The protective layer is removed at the end of January at the latest so that the flowers can develop unhindered. From the second year onwards, no special precautions are required in the bed. If you cultivate the flower in a small pot, it will remain in a dark, frost-free room throughout the winter. As soon as temperatures exceed zero degrees, move the plant outdoors.
Propagate winter aconites
So that winter aconites develop a compact carpet of flowers in as short a time as possible, help the flower with the following propagation methods:
- After flowering, dig up the rhizome, cut off the breeding tubers and plant them
- Collect the ripe fruits in April or May, harvest the seeds and sow them in the recommended location
While dividing the tubers is straightforward, there are a few precautions that need to be taken when sowing. Since the seeds are light germinators, they may be covered with substrate by a maximum of 0.5 centimeters. To ensure that the seeds do not end up in the stomachs of pecking birds, spreading a close-meshed net over the bed is essential.
How do I transplant correctly?
If you order Eranthis hyemalis to change location, the best time to do this is immediately after flowering. Dig up the rhizome over a wide area. The more soil remains on the roots, the lower the stress level for the plant. Take this opportunity to take a look at the tuber. If small daughter tubers thrive on it, cut them off and have several specimens of the busy spring flower in your hands. Without waiting long, place the plant in fresh substrate in the new location, which is immediately watered generously. The foliage should remain on the plant until it has completely absorbed and yellowed.
Is winter aconite poisonous?
Botanically, the flower is classified as a member of the buttercup family. This broad plant family is one of the poisonous plants and requires correspondingly careful handling. Store the tubers so that neither children nor pets can eat them. Consuming even small amounts causes significant he alth problems. Although the poison content in the above-ground parts of the plant is lower than in the rhizome, gloves should be worn during all planting and care work.
Winter aconites not blooming
If the flower simply doesn't bloom, the suspicion is that the tuber fell victim to voles. If no flower heads appear by the end of February, dig up the plant. If the suspicion is confirmed and the onion is nibbled, the pest is the first winner this year. To prevent it from coming back again, plant fresh winter aconite bulbs in the protection of a wire basket in the fall.
Which plant neighbors harmonize with winter aconites?
The snowdrop is by no means the only flower that maintains good neighbors with winter aconites. The following species and varieties easily combine with this graceful plant:
- Bush anemone (Anemone nemorosa)
- Crocus (Crocus)
- Snow shine (Chionodoxa forbesii)
- Snow Crocus (Crocus chrysanthus)
- Checkerboard flower (Fritillaria meleagris)
A combination with hostas has the advantage that withered winter aconites are covered by the magnificent foliage of the ornamental foliage plants throughout the summer, so that no unsightly gaps can arise in the bed.
Trivia
Millions of winter aconites bloom every year in the mild winter Rautal near Jena and attract visitors in droves. More than 300 flowers per square meter can be admired on more than 5 hectares - and there are more every year. Every year in February or March, the residents of the small town of Closewitz invite you to the hearty Winterling weekend to celebrate the little flower. Friends of the bright yellow plant can walk around the area on a 2-kilometer-long circular path specially created for this occasion and fortify themselves with coffee and cake or a goulash soup.
Beautiful varieties
- Eranthis cilicica: Blooms in a darker golden yellow than Eranthis hyemalis and has bronze-colored foliage
- Glory: Magnificent hybrid Eranthis x tubergeniana with extra fresh green leaves and light yellow flowers
- Guinea Gold: Shines yellow, like Glory, with picturesque contrast thanks to bronze-colored foliage
- Aurum: A previously largely unknown species from Siberia that blooms in pure white
