Read a commented profile of the Adonis rose here with information about its toxicity. The five most beautiful Adonis species at a glance with tips on planting and variety selection.
What are Adonis florets and where do they grow?
Adonis florets are a genus of 30 to 35 species from the buttercup family. They are native to Europe and Asia and grow as perennial or annual herbaceous plants. The flowers vary in color and shape, and the plants are poisonous.
Profile
- Scientific name: Adonis
- Genus: Adonis florets with 30 to 35 species
- Family: Buttercup family (Ranunculaceae)
- Habitat: Europe, Asia
- Growth: perennial or annual herbaceous plant
- Growth height: 15 cm to 40 cm
- Flower: cup blossom
- Flowering time: 2-4, 5-7, 6-9
- Leaf: pinnate
- Roots: rhizome or taproot
- Winter hardiness: winter hardy or summer annual
- Toxicity: poisonous
Species
More than 30 enchanting species come together under the umbrella of the genus Adonis. The following table presents the 5 most beautiful Adonis florets in more detail:
| Adonis species | Spring Adonis Roses | Amur Adonis florets | Summer Adonis Roses | Flame Adonis Rose | Autumn Adonis Roses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Botanical name | Adonis vernalis | Adonis amurensis | Adonis aestivalis | Adonis flammea | Adonis annua |
| Flowering time | March to May | February to April | May to July | May to July | June to September |
| Flower color | yellow | yellow | red/black eye | blood red/black eye | bright red/black eye |
| Growth height | 10 cm to 20 cm | 15 cm to 30 cm | 20 cm to 50 cm | 20 cm to 50 cm | 30 cm to 40 cm |
| Winter hardiness | hardy | hardy | annual | annual | annual |
| Synonym | Devil's Eye | Devil's Eye | Blood Eye, Little Devil Eye | Burning Devil's Eye | Blood droplets |
| habitat | Steppe, dry grass | cool forests | Field edge, limestone soil | Grainfields | Grainfields |
| Status | under nature protection | under nature protection | Endangered | under nature protection | under nature protection |
The genus is named after the summer Adonis rose. According to a Greek legend, every drop of blood from the dying Adonis turned into a red-flowered Adonis flower while the goddess Aphrodite wept for her lover. The popular name devil's eye also refers to Adonis aestivalis. Annual, blood-red Adonis species are therefore more closely related to the genus name and synonym than perennial, yellow-flowering Adonis florets.
Bloom
In spring the flowers compete with the sun. Summer-blooming Adonis florets light a red beacon in cottage gardens and along the side of the road. You can recognize Adonis flowers by these characteristics:
- flower shape: simple, star-shaped
- Sepals: 5 to 8 pieces, green, 6 mm to 22 mm long
- Petals: 3 to 24 pieces, yellow or red, 8 mm to 35 mm long
- Stamens: 15 to 80 pieces, yellow or black
- Size: 1.5cm to 8cm in diameter
- flower ecology: hermaphrodite
When the Prussian King Frederick II drained a swamp area on the Oder, not only the 'vegetable garden of Berlin' was created, but also a perfect habitat for Adonis florets, as the following video demonstrates:
Video: Adonis roses bloom in the Oderbruch
Leaf
Delicate foliage serves as a green backdrop for the colorful flowers. These features characterize the leaves of Adonis roses:
- Leaf shape: stalked, triangular, pinnate
- Leaf blade: 5 cm to 15 cm tall
- Leaf stem: 3 to 6 cm long
In spring Adonis florets and other beautiful species, the upper leaflets sit like a ruffled collar under the flowers.
Toxicity
Like all buttercup plants, Adonis florets are poisonous. Heart-active glycosides in high concentrations as well as flavonoids, adonitoxin and other toxins are contained in all parts of the plant. The poison content is on par with the dreaded foxglove (Digitalis), the poisonous plant of 2007.
Growth
The very slow, demanding growth is a key reason why Adonis florets have become so rare. The following overview lists the most important key data:
- Growth type: herbaceous, perennial, deciduous or annual plant
- Growth height: 15 cm to 20 cm, during fruit ripening 30 cm to 40 cm
- Roots: perennial species with rhizome, annual species with taproot
- Habitat: Relic occurrences on the Oder, on dry meadows, in sparse forests, on sunny slopes.
- Ecological amplitude: moist soil and cool partial shade or sandy-dry soil in full sun.
Overexploitation of nature, bush encroachment on dry grasslands, unbridled conversion of grassland into arable land are further causes of danger. Without the dedicated efforts of conservationists and amateur gardeners who plant Adonis florets, the natural beauty would be doomed.
Excursus
Experience the Adonis rose blossom in Lebus
Every spring, plant lovers make a pilgrimage to the blooming Adonis florets in the Oderbruch. The largest deposits in Germany can be admired on the sunny slopes of Lebus and Mallnow. In winter 2021, the NABU Foundation and active local supporters enlarged the flower-rich dry grasslands and created more habitat for the highly endangered Adonis florets and rare wild bees, such as the ox-tongued silk bee (Colletes nasutus)
Planting Adonis florets
Properly planted Adonis perennials can grow very old. To plant the delicate flower beauties in the garden, you can buy and plant early Adonis florets. Direct sowing has proven successful for cultivating annual devil's eyes in hobby gardens. Read how to do it right in the following sections:
Location
The local conditions are crucial for the suitable type of Adonis. The following overview provides important details:
- Spring Adonis florets: full sun to shady, sandy-dry bed soil, permeable, preferably calcareous
- Amur Adonis florets: partially shaded, fresh, moist, nutrient-rich garden soil, neutral to slightly acidic pH value.
- Red flowering Adonis species: sunny to partially shaded, calcareous, shallow, warm in summer, prefers stony, loamy soil.
Spring Adonis florets are the ideal early bloomers in rock gardens and gravel beds. Amur Adonis florets bloom magnificently as an underplant for deciduous trees. Red flowering devil's eyes make a decorative guest appearance in the natural garden, as a splash of color in the cottage garden or decorate the vegetable garden as a border.
Planting
The best time to plant perennial Adonis florets is in autumn. Another time window is open in spring. Place the potted root ball in water while you prepare the bed soil. Adonis florets look very beautiful in small tuffs with three to four plants. The following short instructions explain the correct procedure:
- Dig planting pits at a distance of 20 cm to 25 cm.
- Put on gloves.
- Unpot and plant water-soaked root balls.
- Press soil and water.
Extra tip: Adonis florets grow early, so please mark the planting site.
Sowing
The seeds of Adonis florets are cool germinators. The months of February to April or September and October are therefore ideal as dates for sowing. Stratification in the refrigerator followed by cultivation on the windowsill is doomed to failure because Adonis species cannot tolerate repotting and transplanting. How to skillfully sow Adonis seeds:
- Put on gloves
- Roughen hard-shelled seeds with sandpaper (€7.00 at Amazon)
- Soak in lukewarm water for 24 hours
- Rake seedbed until finely crumbly, incorporate garden lime and sand
- Sow seeds 1 cm to 1.5 cm deep (dark germinator)
- Press or roll the bed soil and water with a fine spray
In contrast to the seeds of perennial Adonis species, the seeds of summer Adonis florets germinate within two to three weeks. To prevent voracious snails from eating your tender seedlings, cover the seedbed with a protective net or lay out grit as a barrier.
Caring for Adonis florets
Adonis florets have an aversion to disturbances of all kinds. Once the buttercup plants have become rooted in the soil, watering, fertilizing and cutting are no longer necessary. Adonis perennials do not value winter protection. Red-flowering annual species should only be cut back to ground level in winter. In this way, you can keep the flowers in your garden by self-seeding.
Propagate
Perennial Adonis florets are best propagated by division. Slow growth usually torpedoes the rooting of cuttings or cuttings. This is how it works:
- Best time: after the flowering period, when Adonis florets have completely absorbed.
- Procedure: Do not dig up the root ball completely, but separate rhizome pieces with a spade.
- Planting: Plant root pieces with at least two buds in the new location as deep as before.
In the first five years of standing, you can dig up the entire root ball, cut it in half or quarters and place each root segment in the ground again. After division, regular watering is an important accompanying measure for rapid rooting.
Popular varieties
In addition to the species presented in the profile, there are other Adonis rose species and varieties to discover in stores:
- Adonis amurensis 'Fukujukai': popular, large-flowered variety from Japan that grows slightly faster.
- Adonis 'Pleniflora': Amur Adonis florets with double, yellow spring flowers.
- Adonis amurensis 'Shinano': Japanese variety with robust winter hardiness that blooms in partial shade.
- Pyrenean Adonis (Adonis pyrenaica): thrives beautifully in acidic, lime-free soil, such as the heather garden.
- Kyllenian Adonis (Adonis cyllenea): species discovered in Greece in the 1990s with yellow flowers from April to June, height up to 80 cm.
FAQ
When do the Adonis florets bloom in Lebus?
From March to May, the Lebus municipal office invites you to the Adonis rose hike. Follow the signposted theme trail across the flowering meadows and slopes along the Oder near Mallnow. In addition to Adonis roses, you can admire other rare natural plants such as meadowsweet, sage, pasque flowers, sand cinquefoil or feather grass.
Are Adonis florets poisonous?
Yes, Adonis florets are poisonous plants. Responsible for this unpopular status are primarily heart-active glycosides, such as those contained in foxglove (digitalis). Intentional or unintentional consumption of Adonis plant parts causes distressing symptoms of poisoning even in small quantities and can be fatal in larger quantities. Devil eyes are not suitable for cultivation in the family garden or around pets.
Can I plant Adonis florets in a pot?
Adonis florets are not designed for life as potted plants. Adonis species want to grow undisturbed and in peace. Regular repotting in particular is a disruptive factor that speaks against planting in a bucket. Adonis roses are not alone in this floral aversion. Other buttercup plants, such as the snow rose (Helleborus niger), are also not suitable for keeping in pots or flower boxes.
Which plant partners are suitable for Adonis florets?
Suitable planting partners for the spring Adonis rose (Adonis vernalis) are other early bloomers, such as lady's mantle (Alchemilla alpina) and candytuft (Iberis sempervirens). When spring Adonis florets move in, meadowsweet (Filipendula vulgaris) or linseed (Thesium linophyllon) unfold their natural floral charm. Amur Adonis florets harmonize wonderfully with snowdrops (Galanthus) and Christmas roses (Helleborus niger) as underplanting for ornamental cherries (Prunus) and other flowering shrubs for semi-shady locations.
Are Adonis florets a bee pasture?
Yes, all Adonis species are useful as bee pastures. In fact, the highest traditional value (very much ++) is assigned to the valuable natural flowers. It is primarily nutritious pollen that busy bees and bumblebees find in the flowers. Annual summer Adonis florets also have plenty of nectar to offer.
