Ranunculus ficaria
This just has to be one of my very favourite spring wild flowers. Areas of the my local woods are carpeted in these vivid yellow blooms.
Belonging to the buttercup family Ranunculaceae, each flower head has between eight and twelve golden-yellow petals, which close when it rains, then opens in the sun. The leaves are a glossy dark green and heart-shaped. The flower develops into a small green fruit.
One of the first blooms to appear in spring, it flowers March to May, and is found in dampish habitats, out in the open or in partial shade. They can be seen in hedgerows, woodland margins and open woodland, and near water such as ponds, rivers and streams. They grow insular or may carpet large areas of ground. A common and widespread species.
Nature Journeys 
Lovely!
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Thank you, Phoebe 🙂 This is what spring is all about for me! 🙂
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Our primary species of buttercup has been blooming for a month or more, while a friend in Montana just has spotted the firt of his. They are such beautiful flowers, and yours is really a delight. Celadine is a pretty name, too; it reminds me of my favorite pottery glaze — celadon.
As a side note, for years I didn’t realize how tall buttercups could grow. I’d only seen them in areas that had been mowed, so 2-4″ was about it. Now, in the country, I’ve seen them a foot tall, and fields of them are just glorious.
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Thank you, Linda 🙂 I have never seen a buttercup a foot tall! That must be a wonderful sight to see! These are but a few inches high.
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I started thinking that I probably was off on their height, so I ran across the road to a vacant lot that’s full of them. I found some there that were ten inches tall, so I was close!
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That is still pretty tall! 🙂
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I agree with you, a favourite spring flower. I have it in the garden where I have to contain it.
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Happily spreading under another of my small trees, but it is so joyful in early spring I don’t want to remove it.
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These are one of my spring favourites. I don’t have them in the garden, although I would like to, but I see them in fair numbers on my locla woodland margin. Hoping to get out there if it ever stops raining here.
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Had some lovely weather here this week, a bit of rain this morning, but I was wondering whether I should make my garden into a bog garden the lawn was like a sponge last week!
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