Lesser Celandine: friend or foe
 

Looking out onto the garden I see that the Lesser Celandine is off and
running again. I keep trying to get rid of it, but it is an impossible
task.

Does it occur everywhere in the country, or is it trying to tell me
something about my garden conditions? Does it actually do any harm, will it
smother other plants? or could I just ignore it?

Peter

In article , peterlsutton
writes
Looking out onto the garden I see that the Lesser Celandine is off and
running again. I keep trying to get rid of it, but it is an impossible
task.

Does it occur everywhere in the country, or is it trying to tell me
something about my garden conditions?

Yes - that your garden is fairly wet in spring

Does it actually do any harm, will it
smother other plants?

It will compete with things that are around at this time of year but it
dies back fairly early.

or could I just ignore it?

I'd ignore it in shrub borders or anywhere you have biggish plants, and
just try to control it amongst tiny plants.
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

"Kay" wrote in message
...
In article , peterlsutton
writes
Looking out onto the garden I see that the Lesser Celandine is off and
running again. I keep trying to get rid of it, but it is an impossible
task.

Does it occur everywhere in the country, or is it trying to tell me
something about my garden conditions?

Yes - that your garden is fairly wet in spring

Does it actually do any harm, will it
smother other plants?

It will compete with things that are around at this time of year but it
dies back fairly early.

or could I just ignore it?

I'd ignore it in shrub borders or anywhere you have biggish plants, and
just try to control it amongst tiny plants.
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

Kay has said it all really, I have it, used to try and get rid but it goes
naturally in May so its not worth the hassle

--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collection of Clematis viticella (cvs)

On Wed, 09 Mar 2005 17:25:26 GMT, "peterlsutton"
wrote:

Looking out onto the garden I see that the Lesser Celandine is off and
running again. I keep trying to get rid of it, but it is an impossible
task.

Does it occur everywhere in the country, or is it trying to tell me
something about my garden conditions? Does it actually do any harm, will it
smother other plants? or could I just ignore it?

Seems to like cool, moist shade. I dig it out wherever I see it. The
trouble is it's got brittle fleshy roots, and if the tiniest bit
breaks off, it seems to re-grow. Persistent hand weeding has got rid
of it from most places in my garden. I never give it a chance to be
harmful or invasive, so can't answer your last query.


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net

"Chris Hogg" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 09 Mar 2005 17:25:26 GMT, "peterlsutton"
wrote:

Looking out onto the garden I see that the Lesser Celandine is off and
running again. I keep trying to get rid of it, but it is an impossible
task.

Does it occur everywhere in the country, or is it trying to tell me
something about my garden conditions? Does it actually do any harm, will
it
smother other plants? or could I just ignore it?

You could eat it into oblivion! Ray Mears, the Survival chappie, dug some
up on TV the
other day and baked and ate the fleshy roots - said they tasted like potato.
A word of
warning, they're poisonous if eaten raw. I'm not hungry enough just
yet.......

Andy.

"peterlsutton" wrote in message
...
Looking out onto the garden I see that the Lesser Celandine is off and
running again. I keep trying to get rid of it, but it is an impossible
task.

Does it occur everywhere in the country, or is it trying to tell me

All over, in wood margins, and shady hedgerows.
It is a nice harbinger of spring but can be slow to get rid of.
I have just left it alone in the wilder bits of the garden but kept it
completely out of good borders but just pulling it out as I see it. It
eventually thins out and goes.

something about my garden conditions? Does it actually do any harm, will
it
smother other plants? or could I just ignore it?

Peter

peterlsutton wrote:
Looking out onto the garden I see that the Lesser Celandine is off and
running again. I keep trying to get rid of it, but it is an
impossible task.

Does it occur everywhere in the country, or is it trying to tell me
something about my garden conditions? Does it actually do any harm,
will it smother other plants? or could I just ignore it?

Peter


Depends on where you're coming from - and we, too, have lots of it. It's
actually used as the base of quite a few modern drugs, particularly for the
relief of piles (one of its common names is 'pilewort'!). It's a member of
the buttercup family (Ranunculae sp?) Its other common names include
'brighteye' (not to be confused with'eyebright' which, IIRC, is a small blue
flower), 'smallwort' and 'butter and cheese'. Brighteye may indicate it was
used to treat ocular complaints, but these are not indicated on the page
below.

For more info on its medicinal uses see
http://www.purplesage.org.uk/profile...rcelandine.htm.

I happen to think it's quite pretty - but agree that it can be very
invasive.

--
Facon - the artificial bacon bits you get in Pizza Hut for sprinkling
on salads.

"peterlsutton" wrote in message
...
Looking out onto the garden I see that the Lesser Celandine is off and
running again. I keep trying to get rid of it, but it is an impossible
task.

Does it occur everywhere in the country, or is it trying to tell me
something about my garden conditions? Does it actually do any harm, will it
smother other plants? or could I just ignore it?

Peter

I like it and find it fairly easy to keep under control. I let it run rampant
and 95% of it up after flowering. It's one of the first tastes of spring :~)

Jenny

Does it occur everywhere in the country, or is it trying to tell me
something about my garden conditions? Does it actually do any harm, will it
smother other plants? or could I just ignore it?

Peter

I like it and find it fairly easy to keep under control. I let it run rampant
and 95% of it up after flowering. It's one of the first tastes of spring :~)

Jenny

I agree with Jenny, I let mine do what it likes , I use many wild
flowers in my garden, one of the best for ground cover is comfrey,
Lungwort is delightful and ivy leaved toadflax looks very pretty in the
old stone walls, that is just a few to start with.

kate

In article , Kate Morgan
writes

Does it occur everywhere in the country, or is it trying to tell me
something about my garden conditions? Does it actually do any harm, will
it
smother other plants? or could I just ignore it?

Peter

I like it and find it fairly easy to keep under control. I let it run rampant
and 95% of it up after flowering. It's one of the first tastes of spring :~)

Jenny

I agree with Jenny, I let mine do what it likes , I use many wild
flowers in my garden, one of the best for ground cover is comfrey,
Lungwort is delightful and ivy leaved toadflax looks very pretty in the
old stone walls, that is just a few to start with.

kate

We too have lots of lesser celandine. Their bright green leaves are just
now building up ready to carry masses of golden yellow flowers in
springtime. The plant can be invasive, but it is not difficult to
control in places where it is not required. It fades away after
flowering and becomes insignificant in summer and autumn. At that time,
clumps of the plant pull out complete with roots fairly easily.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.