A Case of Mistaken Identity

We have this large compost pile at work -- but it is not really a compost pile because we don't use the compost. It is just a place where we dump all of the clippings, prunings, leaves, pulled weeds, out of season annuals, etc... It is also the place were we toss dead plants that customers return, or that died in the nursery. Often things get taken there that are not quite dead yet, and it can be like Stephen King's Pet Cemetery; sometimes things come back to life. Each spring lots of things pop up and the employees will go through the pile looking for found treasure. I have pulled out Day Lilies, Columbines, Ferns, Jasmines, lots of Narcissus and other things. Once a year I have to hop on the Bobcat and push it back to the limits of the property, and the whole process starts over again.

About ten years ago, I pulled out what I was told was our native Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris) from the compost pile at work. I have enjoyed it each spring as it came up with its glossy green foliage in February, and it usually begins blooming in early to mid March with very cheery, shiny, bright yellow, daisy-like flowers. Over the years it has spread here and there to all parts of my yard. I probably would have worried about it spreading so much, but for the fact that it disappears when the heat gets here.

Recently I began doing some reading on C. palustris and realized that what I had was not our desired native, but an invasive European import, Ranunculus ficaria or Lesser Celandine aka Fig Buttercup. The National Park Service has it on its Least Wanted list, and suggests several ways to destroy it. Additional reading said that it was once known as Pilewort and was used to treat hemorrhoids (piles) because its tubers resembled hemorrhoids. I guess that kind of medicine would be preferable to blood letting.

Now that you have read through all that blather, here are some pictures of my invasive, hemorrhoid-easing, misidentified plant.



Here is your gratuitous pet shot of Loretta and Patsy enjoying the sun and the Ranunculus ficaria.
Once this plant dies down, it will be replaced by one of my other invasives -- Houttuynia, Corydalis or Crocosmia. I will let you know when this happens.