Winter aconite
A tuberous plant opening glossy yellow flowers close to the ground at winter's end; it feeds the first flying bees on sunny mild days.
- Nectar
- Medium
- Pollen
- Medium
- Flowering
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Pollen colour
- Height
- 0,05-0,15 m
- Life cycle
- Perennial
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Winter aconite is a small plant of deciduous woods and scrub in southern Europe and Anatolia, naturalised in Europe as wide carpets in parks, cemeteries and old gardens. Inside the yellow cup at the centre of its green leafy ruff there are small nectaries and many stamens. When the weather warms up, bees visit heavily for both nectar and pollen.
Flowering
It flowers in February and March, often together with snowdrops. The flowers open in sunshine above about 10 °C and close in cold, cloudy weather.
Honey and pollen
It makes no contribution to honey production; its value is the fresh pollen in the weeks when brood rearing begins. The pollen loads are yellow.
Note for the beekeeper
The plant is poisonous; no harm to bees from its nectar or pollen has been reported. Tubers planted under trees spread by seed over the years and form a lasting early source. The Cilician form in Anatolia was formerly known as a separate species (Eranthis cilicica).