Ficaria verna 'Cuprea'

Horticultural cultivar of the Lesser Celandine, a tuberous perennial from the Ranunculaceae family, distinguished by the warm, coppery tone of its flowers, unusual in the genus.

It forms small low tufts, 8 to 12 cm in height, with heart-shaped, glossy foliage, from glaucous green to grey-green, slightly fleshy, characteristic of the species.

The flowers are simple, with broad, rounded petals, a warm yellow-orange tending towards coppery, with bright orange stamens that enhance the overall warmth. The natural varnish of the petals, unique to celandines, gives them a particular shine in low light. It is precisely this coppery hue that gives this cultivar its name, 'Cuprea' meaning coppery in Latin.

Its flowering in cultivation extends from February to April. Like all celandines, the plant goes into complete dormancy at the beginning of summer, disappearing entirely until the following spring.

In cultivation, it prefers a fresh, humus-rich, and well-drained soil in summer, in partial shade or a slightly sunny position. It multiplies by dividing the tubers at the end of the dormancy period.