Adonis ‘Fukujukai’ opening up
When the Adonis light up the yard I always feel like a light bulb has been turned on for springtime. Yes, I know that there are still snowy days in our future but the Adonis can usually tolerate that and in the meantime they take full advantage of today’s 50 plus temperatures. When I see them, I have to ask the rhetorical question ‘why doesn’t everyone plant Adonis’? Of course slow-growing, expensive, and not easily available are parts of the answer. But sometimes the good things take patience. The March Bank at Winterthur is full of Adonis. And has been for over one hundred years.
Adonis are part of the ranunculus family and have all the sturdiness that implies as well as the brilliant yellow that runs in the family.
Adonis ‘Fukujukai’
Apparently although Fukujukai is often listed (as I have done in the past) as a cultivar of Adonis amurensis it is actually a naturally occurring sterile triploid hybrid between Adonis ramosa and Adonis multiflora. That would explain it’s vigor and early flowering.
There are other indicators of spring today. The Chinese Witch Hazel is very much in flower as well.
Chinese Witch Hazel (Hamamelis mollis)
And the Winter Aconite is not far behind.
Winter Aconite (Eranthis hyemalis)
Even the Jeffersonia is showing buds that it may wish to reclaim after the next cold snap.
Jeffersonia dubia in bud
I was surprised to see the newest of my Fritillaria from Augis’ Bulbs rising up in the Alpine Bed.
Fritillaria stenanthera Karatau
This should be interesting indeed.
Of course the Red Camellia still has no sense of the season. I should end this posting with that out of character plant.
Red Camellia Japonica starting early