Lesser celandine joins Michigan invasive-species watch list, but still legal

• Lesser celandine is now on the state’s invasive species watch list
• The is known for its shiny green leaves and small yellow blossoms and can be found near streams and forested floodplains 
• The invasive species has a tendency to grow uncontrollably and push out native plants 

Michigan has added lesser celandine to its invasive species watch list. 

The plant, also known as ficaria verna, was imported from Europe and quickly escaped into the environment, where it is rapidly outcompeting native plants. 

Putting lesser celandine on the watch list could raise public awareness of the dangers, however the move falls short of fully regulating the invasive plant. It remains legal to buy and sell. Advocates have called for outright bans on several invasive species.

Susie Lott, invasive species program specialist at the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, told Bridge Michigan that prohibiting sales in Michigan would require a multi-step process that begins with a risk assessment, followed by approval from both the Michigan Commission of Agriculture and Rural Development and Natural Resources Commission.

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The low-growing perennial plant is among over 2,000 species in the buttercup family. Its green, heart-shaped leaves can be found growing under yellow blossoms. 

Lesser celandine is commonly found near streams and floodplain forests in mid-Michigan. The invasive plant has recently been identified in areas near the Grand River watershed. 

The plant spreads rapidly because it can reproduce in three ways: By seeds, tubers (underground stems) and bulbils, which are tiny bulb-shaped clones that form where the leaf meets the stem. And because lesser celandine grows in floodplains, those bulbils can easily wash downstream to colonize new areas.

When that happens, they can outcompete native plants like trilliums. 

“With the prioritization afforded by the watch list, we're hoping reports by partners and the public can help us understand how far the invasion extends so we can make the best decisions about how to steward our resources – both financial and natural," said Katie Grzesiak, terrestrial invasive species coordinator for  the Michigan Department of Natural Resources in a press statement. 

The invasive plant was brought to the U.S. as an ornamental plant from Europe over 150 years ago. Then in the U.S., the plant ventured into eastern forests, replacing species-rich understories with dense green mats that bloom in early spring. 

Lesser celandine is most commonly found in spring, but the DNR warns people not to get them confused with marsh-marigold, which is more than double the size of lesser celandine. 

However, individuals who spot the invasive plant can report it through the Midwest Invasive Species Information Network.