Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
winter aconite
Introduction References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics
Images & Videos
winter aconite
See the blooming of winter aconite flowers
Quizzes
Venus's-flytrap. Venus's-flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) one of the best known of the meat-eating plants. Carnivorous plant, Venus flytrap, Venus fly trap
Plants: From Cute to Carnivorous
Quick Facts
Related Topics:
Ranunculaceae
aconite
See all related content
Britannica AI Icon
Adding us as a Preferred Source tells Google you trust our content, so our articles show up more often in your Google Search, Discover feed, and AI Overviews.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
winter aconite
winter aconite Winter aconite (Eranthis).

winter aconite

plant
Also known as: Eranthis
Written and fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
Britannica Editors
History

winter aconite, (genus Eranthis), genus of about seven species of perennial herbaceous plants of the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae) native to temperate regions of Europe and widely planted for their early spring flowers.

The solitary flowers consist of five to eight yellow or white sepals (petals are reduced or absent) and multiple stamens. They arise on short stalks from tuberous roots and are often among the first spring flowers to appear, frequently emerging when there is still snow on the ground. The divided leaves are pelate, meaning the leaf stem is attached in the centre of the leaf, and persist only until mid-spring, at which point the plant dies back.

Common winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis), a frequently cultivated species, grows about 20 cm (8 inches) tall or less and has flowers 2.5 cm across.

Venus's-flytrap. Venus's-flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) one of the best known of the meat-eating plants. Carnivorous plant, Venus flytrap, Venus fly trap
Britannica Quiz
Plants: From Cute to Carnivorous
The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Adam Augustyn.