Skaneateles Conservation Area/Invasive species/Ficaria verna

Ficaria verna (lesser celandine)
Lesser celandine (Ficaria verna) is a Eurasian groundcover that is considered to be invasive where it occurs in forested floodplains in North America. Its sale is now prohibited in New York State.

There have been no known observations of Ficaria verna at the Skaneateles Conservation Area (SCA), but there is a good-sized infestation at nearby Baltimore Woods Nature Center, near the Mildred Faust Wildflower Garden, where it was likely either planted intentionally or was introduced as a contaminant with another plant.

Given the fact that yard waste is commonly disposed of and recycled at the Skaneateles Transfer Station at the center of the SCA, there seems to be a chance that Ficaria verna could be found at the SCA.

This species was originally included in the genus Ranunculus as R. ficaria L. but is currently placed in the separate genus Ficaria to maintain monophyletic genera within the Ranunculaceae.

The name celandine is used for the the related invasive species Chelidonium majus

Invasiveness ranking for Ficaria verna (lesser celandine)
Lesser celandine (Ficaria verna, assessed as Ranunculus ficaria in 2008) received and invasiveness score of 77/90 = 85.56%. and is now prohibited by New York State law.

1. Ecological impact (23/30)
1.1. Impact on Natural Ecosystem Processes and System-Wide Parameters: Unknown (U)

1.2. Impact on Natural Community Structure: Influences structure in one layer (3/10)


 * Increases density of the herbaceous layer.

1.3. Impact on Natural Community Composition: Causes major alteration in community composition (10/10)


 * May substantially increases herb layer, extirpating many native species, especially spring ephemerals.

1.4. Impact on other species or species groups: Severe impact on other species or species groups (10/10)


 * Large infestations of this plant eliminate spring ephemeral communities in woodlands, including native plants and presumably all species dependent on these plants.

2. Biological characteristics and dispersal ability (25/25)
2.1. Mode and rate of reproduction: Abundant reproduction with vegetative asexual spread documented (4/4)


 * Extensive, highly aggressive vegetative reproduction.

2.2 Innate potential for long-distance dispersal:

2.3. Potential to be spread by human activities:

2.4. Characteristics that increase competitive advantage:

2.5. Growth vigor:

2.6. Germination/Regeneration:

2.7. Other species in the genus invasive in New York or elsewhere:

3. Ecological amplitude and distribution (25/25)
3.1. Density of stands in natural areas in the northeastern USA and eastern Canada:

3.2. Number of habitats the species may invade:

3.3. Role of disturbance in establishment:

3.4. Climate in native range:

3.5. Current introduced distribution in the northeastern USA and eastern Canada:

3.6. Current introduced distribution of the species in natural areas in the 8 NY PRISMs:

4. Difficulty of control (10/10)
4.1. Seed banks:

4.2. Vegetative regeneration:

4.3. Level of effort required: