Report #1779 - Report: Lesser Celandine (Ranunculus ficaria)

Lesser Celandine (Ranunculus ficaria) on Mar 29, 2016

Submitter has sample

Description of specimen

every late winter they come back, i pull and smother, and they keep spreading
I muck in the mud getting all the little nodules, and still they grow and bloom
help

Commentary

Thank you for your report of Lesser Celandine. Unfortunately this plant is spreading rapidly through the Metro Area and is becoming a common issue for gardeners and public parks. The nodules you describe make them particularly hard to get rid of. Your report will be added to our state database to better track the spread and extent of this species.

If your patch is small enough, repeated digging and trashing of plants can be effective but you have to be careful to remove all the nodules, which is a difficult task. If you're open to herbicide use, you could try a spray like Rodeo (which is labeled for use in wetland areas, if you are near streams) to control plants. You may need to apply herbicide for a few years if plants return.

For more information on treatment, see this info page from the National Park Service: https://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/rafi1.htm

Good luck!
Lindsey Wise

Lindsey Wise
May 24, 2016, 4:10 a.m.

Remedy

For small patches, plants can be dug up in their entirety (be sure to get all roots and the small bulbils that break off to form new plants - you may need to sift through your soil to get these). Do not compost or put in your yard debris bin any below-ground parts of the plant (tubers and bulbils) as they can be spread this way. The leaves and flowers are ok to compost or put in yard debris. For larger patches, digging is impractical and can cause a lot of disturbance; herbicide application may have more success. * Lesser Celandine: National Park Service fact sheet *Lesser Celandine info from West Multnomah SWCD

Lesser Celandine (Ranunculus ficaria) on Mar 29, 2016

Description of specimen

Commentary

Remedy

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