Ranunculus ficaria is a small low growing plant with a very
impressive underground network of bulbets and tubers that can continue
to flourish if separated from the main plant. The flower is typically
bright yellow and the leaves are a deep green.
The
leaf of celandine, which is the only part of the plant that is
currently showing, looks VERY similar to the leaf of a violet. Note in
the photograph the violet is on the left and the celandine is on the
right. Violet's tend to have more rounded lobes, and the celandine is
sharper with points. Typically the celandine has a glossier look than
the violet. You should be sure that you can differentiate between the
two before you pull out leaves that belong to violets. Once they
bloom, they are easier to differentiate, but not all violets are purple
or white, there are yellow violets native to our area. Also, once the
blooming has begun, it is typically more difficult to remove all of the
tubers from the ground.
When
you pull out the celandine be sure to remove all of the tubers and
bulbets that are attached to the plant. You can actually assist in the
spreading of the plant by leaving them behind. I will lay the plant on
a rock where it has little chance of re-sprouting in the ground. You
can also control celandine by spraying a glyphosate based herbicide at a
low concentration. Glyphosate is non-selective so it should be used
with care since you may harm some of the spring ephemerals in the
process. If the area is very sensitive, I would recommend individually
painting each celandine leaf. This may be time consuming, but it is a
great way to be very selective and to inhibit any further spread.
Typically manual control is recommended for very small infestations and
you will have to resort to chemical to obtain complete control when you
are dealing with the "blanket" effect as in the earlier photograph.
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