Lesser celandine: An invasive plant making its way across the Upper Midwest

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu

Lesser celandine has a bright yellow flower and heart-shaped leaves. Photo: Stephanie Day

Lesser celandine (Ficaria verna), sometimes known as fig buttercup, is a short, perennial plant that is spreading in the Midwest. It has shiny, dark-green, heart-shaped leaves and small, bright-yellow flowers. Natural resource professionals are asking for your help to prevent the spread of this invasive plant and protect our landscapes.

Lesser celandine is a spring ephemeral, meaning it emerges in early spring (March–April), then dies back as our native deciduous trees leaf out. “There is only a short window of time when lesser celandine has emerged and is identifiable, so it’s critical to be on the lookout for this plant now,” advises Michelle Beloskur, Director of the Midwest Invasive Plant Network.

Lesser celandine thrives in moist, lowland environments, including forest floors, riverbanks, and floodplains. It is also hardy enough to spread into lawns and other upland areas.

Its early emergence allows it to expand as a groundcover and outcompete native spring wildflowers such as mayapple, spring beauty, Dutchman’s breeches, and trout lily. Over time, it carpets an area, greatly reducing biodiversity and the quality of natural areas. It is actively spreading in lower Michigan, southeastern Wisconsin, and is starting to make headway in parts of northern Wisconsin and southern Minnesota.

Several initiatives are underway to increase awareness of lesser celandine, monitor for new introductions, and develop best practices for controlling its spread.

Community scientists help monitor the spread

A blanket of lesser celandine is taking over this forest floor in Michigan. Photo: Michelle Beloskur, Midwest Invasive Plant Network

In Michigan, the Eyes on the Forest Priority Plant Patrol is training community scientist volunteers to monitor and report lesser celandine. In addition, several partner organizations have come together to form the Michigan Lesser Celandine Coalition. The Coalition is educating the public and recruiting volunteers to assess the spread of lesser celandine, particularly along the Grand River corridor. The Coalition is working closely with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to develop best management practices for control.

In Wisconsin, lesser celandine has three main hot spots. These are mostly confined to urban areas in the southern portion of the state. State partners and private landowners are managing the majority of the known populations to prevent further establishment and spread.

In Minnesota, there are three sites known to have lesser celandine. The managers of each site are actively monitoring, managing, and treating these plants to contain and eventually eradicate them. There has been no further spread found near these sites and no new reports of lesser celandine in the state.

Hana Kim is a University of Minnesota Extension Educator who engages local communities on invasive species issues, including lesser celandine. “We hope to keep lesser celandine at bay in Minnesota. While local professionals are working on existing populations, we are also encouraging our community members to be vigilant and report any new sightings, as they are important eyes on the ground.”

Report lesser celandine when you sight it

Be on the lookout for lesser celandine and report sightings. In Minnesota and Wisconsin, make a report using the free EDDMapS smartphone app. You can also contact Matt Wallrath, Wisconsin First Detector Network Outreach Specialist, at 608-262-9570 or the Minnesota Department of Agriculture Report a Pest, at 888-545-6684.

You can help prevent the spread of invasive plants, like lesser celandine. Clean off footwear, pets, and recreational equipment before entering and leaving natural areas, stay on designated walking paths, and do not plant, move, or compost invasive plants.

Resources to help you identify lesser celandine

• Michigan Lesser Celandine Coalition Fact Sheet
• Michigan Eyes on the Forest Priority Plant Patrol
• University of Minnesota Extension - Terrestrial Invasive Plants
• University of Wisconsin Renz Weed Science Fact Sheet

Midwest Invasive Plant Network webinars

• Lesser Celandine: An Emerging Midwest Invasive
• Expanding Awareness of Lesser Celandine in the Midwest