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Greater Celandine

©Philip Precey

Greater celandine

Greater celandine is a very common plant that spreads easily in the garden, on waste ground and in hedgerows. It is considered a weed, but the small, yellow flowers provide nectar for insects.

Scientific name

Chelidonium majus

When to see

April to October

Species information

Category

Statistics

Height: up to 90cm
Common.

About

Greater celandine is a tall plant of woodland rides, hedgerows, roadsides and waste ground, and often grows as a garden 'weed'. Also known as the 'Celandine poppy', it is a member of the poppy family, so is not related to the similarly named Lesser celandine, which is a member of the buttercup family. Greater celandine flowers from April to October.

How to identify

Greater celandine is a tall plant. It has custard-yellow flowers, similar to those of a buttercup, but its petals do not overlap. It has strongly lobed, grey-green leaves. It could easily be confused with some members of the cabbage family.

Distribution

Widespread.

Did you know?

The distinctive orange sap of Greater celandine was historically used as a herbal remedy for warts.