Winter Aconite - Eranthis hyemalis

Above: Winter Aconite in yard near the Duck Pond in Madison, Wisconsin (3/13/21).

Winter Aconite - Eranthis hyemalis (spring ephemeral)

Winter Aconite is not native to Wisconsin or North America but it can naturalize under the the right conditions. A member of the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae) is one of the earliest bulbs to bloom in spring.

Native to Asia Minor and Europe, Winter Aconite grows 3-6″ tall.

Hyemalis: Latin for "winter-flowering".
Er: Greek for "Spring" and anthos: Greek for "flower" - so named for its early flowering

Note: All parts of the plant are poisonous when consumed by humans and other mammals because it contains cardiac glycosides that can be harmful in large doses.

Blooms late winter and early spring.

Other names: Winter Wolf's Bane

There is a nice article about Winter Aconite by Elizabeth Winpenny Lawson (click here)

For more information on the Winter Aconite, visit Wikipedia.

Or, visit the UW-Madison Wisconsin Horticulture Division of Extension website page about Winter Aconite.

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