The image, above, shows the full Lesser Celandine plant(Ranunculus ficaria) whilst in flower. Inset, a close-up
of the plant's leaves and flower is shown..
| Common Name: Lesser Celandine |
| Scientific Name: Ranunculus ficaria |
| Other Names: Pilewort, Fig Buttercup, Small Celandine, Scurvywort |
| Family: Ranunculaceae |
| Range: Most of Europe, including Britain, to W. Asia. |
Physical Characteristics
Ranunculus ficaria is a hardy Perennial plant, growing to 20cm (8 in) by 20cm (8 in) in size. It is hardy to zone 5 and is not frost tender. The plant flowers from March to May and its seeds ripen from April to June. The flowers are hermaphrodite and are pollinated by flies, bees and beetles.
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| Edible Parts: Leaves, Flower Buds, Stems and Bulbils |
 Edibility Rating: 1 
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 Known Hazards: It should be noted that all parts of the plant are poisonous (at least when the plant is in flower). However, the toxins are unstable and only of low toxicity. They are easily destroyed by heat or by drying. However, the sap of the plant can cause skin irritation to those susceptible and the plant should not be consumed raw. Stop using the herb if breathing problems or chest & throat tightness.
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Welcome to the summary page for FabulousFusionFood's Wild Food guide to Lesser Celandine along with all the Lesser Celandine containing recipes presented on this site, with 2 recipes in total.
This is a continuation of an entire series of pages that will, I hope, allow my visitors to better navigate this site. As well as displaying recipes by name, country and region of origin I am now planning a whole series of pages where recipes can be located by meal type and main ingredient. This page gives a listing of all the Cornish recipes added to this site.
These recipes, all contain Lesser Celandine as a major wild food ingredient.
The Lesser Celandine, Ranunculus ficaria (also known as Pilewort, Fig Buttercup, Small Celandine, Scurvywort, Ficaria grandiflora Robert and Ficaria verna Huds) is a low-growing perennial plant with hairless leaves and stems and fleshy dark-green, hear-shaped leaves that's a member of the Ranunculaceae (buttercup) family of flowering plants that is native to Europe and Western Asia and which has been introduced in North America. It prefers bare, damp ground and rarely grows above 5cm in height. It emerges in spring from a knot of tubers. All parts of the plant contain protoanemonin toxins which become more potent as the plant flowers and fruits, however these toxins are typically of low potency and are destroyed by boiling or drying. It is therefore advised that you pick only leaves from plants that have not flowered and treat as a potherb (ie boil before consumption). In the past, young leaves have been boiled like spinach, or eaten as a salad and the young flower buds have been substituted for capers. Indeed they were important to the diets of the past, as they are one of the first spring greens to emerge and are high in vitamin C (in German they are called Scharbockskraut [Scurvywort] from their use as a treatment for scurvy.
Lesser celandine is common in woods and grassland in Spring and is one of the first flowers to show, carpeting the ground in places. The flowers themselves are between 20 and 35mm in diameter with 7 to 12 waxy yellow petals. The leaves are dark green, fleshy and untoothed. They resemble an inverted heart shape with long stalks and are easy to recognize, even when not in flower.
The first leaves to emerge in spring can be used in salads (but take refer to the toxicity note, above). The leaves turn more toxic as the fruit matures. The leaves, stalks and flower buds can be cooked and eaten like spinach. The blanched stems are also edible. The plant's bulbils (formed at the leaf axils and at the roots), though fiddly to gather can also be boiled as a vegetable. The flower buds can also be pickled as a very acceptable substitute for capers.
[2]. Huxley, A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992
[3]. Tanaka, T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World.
[4]. Lim T.K. Edible Medicinal And Non-Medicinal Plants, Vols 1–8.
[5]. Thomas, G. S. Perennial Garden Plants
[6]. Milner, E. Trees of Britain and Ireland
[7]. Rose, F. & O'Reilly, C. The Wild Flower Key (Revised Edition) – How to identify wild plants, trees and shrubs in Britain and Ireland
[8]. Streeter, D. & Garrard, I. The Wild Flowers of the British Isles
[9]. Clapham, A.R.; Tutin, T.G. & Moore, D.M. Flora of the British Isles
[10]. Phillips, R. Mushrooms
[10]. Phillips, R. Mushrooms
[11]. Jordan, P. & Wheeler, S. The Complete Book of Mushrooms: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Edible Mushrooms
[12]. Bunker, F.; Brodie, J.A.; Maggs, C.A. & Bunker, A. Seaweeds of Britain and Ireland.
[13]. Facciola, S. Cornucopia — A Source Book of Edible Plants
This is a continuation of an entire series of pages that will, I hope, allow my visitors to better navigate this site. As well as displaying recipes by name, country and region of origin I am now planning a whole series of pages where recipes can be located by meal type and main ingredient. This page gives a listing of all the Cornish recipes added to this site.
These recipes, all contain Lesser Celandine as a major wild food ingredient.
The Lesser Celandine, Ranunculus ficaria (also known as Pilewort, Fig Buttercup, Small Celandine, Scurvywort, Ficaria grandiflora Robert and Ficaria verna Huds) is a low-growing perennial plant with hairless leaves and stems and fleshy dark-green, hear-shaped leaves that's a member of the Ranunculaceae (buttercup) family of flowering plants that is native to Europe and Western Asia and which has been introduced in North America. It prefers bare, damp ground and rarely grows above 5cm in height. It emerges in spring from a knot of tubers. All parts of the plant contain protoanemonin toxins which become more potent as the plant flowers and fruits, however these toxins are typically of low potency and are destroyed by boiling or drying. It is therefore advised that you pick only leaves from plants that have not flowered and treat as a potherb (ie boil before consumption). In the past, young leaves have been boiled like spinach, or eaten as a salad and the young flower buds have been substituted for capers. Indeed they were important to the diets of the past, as they are one of the first spring greens to emerge and are high in vitamin C (in German they are called Scharbockskraut [Scurvywort] from their use as a treatment for scurvy.
Lesser celandine is common in woods and grassland in Spring and is one of the first flowers to show, carpeting the ground in places. The flowers themselves are between 20 and 35mm in diameter with 7 to 12 waxy yellow petals. The leaves are dark green, fleshy and untoothed. They resemble an inverted heart shape with long stalks and are easy to recognize, even when not in flower.
The first leaves to emerge in spring can be used in salads (but take refer to the toxicity note, above). The leaves turn more toxic as the fruit matures. The leaves, stalks and flower buds can be cooked and eaten like spinach. The blanched stems are also edible. The plant's bulbils (formed at the leaf axils and at the roots), though fiddly to gather can also be boiled as a vegetable. The flower buds can also be pickled as a very acceptable substitute for capers.
References:
[1]. David Evans Notes from field observations, tastings and cookery experiments.[2]. Huxley, A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992
[3]. Tanaka, T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World.
[4]. Lim T.K. Edible Medicinal And Non-Medicinal Plants, Vols 1–8.
[5]. Thomas, G. S. Perennial Garden Plants
[6]. Milner, E. Trees of Britain and Ireland
[7]. Rose, F. & O'Reilly, C. The Wild Flower Key (Revised Edition) – How to identify wild plants, trees and shrubs in Britain and Ireland
[8]. Streeter, D. & Garrard, I. The Wild Flowers of the British Isles
[9]. Clapham, A.R.; Tutin, T.G. & Moore, D.M. Flora of the British Isles
[10]. Phillips, R. Mushrooms
[10]. Phillips, R. Mushrooms
[11]. Jordan, P. & Wheeler, S. The Complete Book of Mushrooms: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Edible Mushrooms
[12]. Bunker, F.; Brodie, J.A.; Maggs, C.A. & Bunker, A. Seaweeds of Britain and Ireland.
[13]. Facciola, S. Cornucopia — A Source Book of Edible Plants
The alphabetical list of all Lesser Celandine recipes on this site follows, (limited to 100 recipes per page). There are 2 recipes in total:
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| Lesser Celandine Straws Origin: Britain | Mushroom and Lesser Celandine Stroganoff Origin: Fusion |
Page 1 of 1