Looking through the naturalised areas where Snowdrops and Winter Aconites provided the colour during winter the Eranthis hyemalis are ready to shed their seed. The seed capsules, held above the now yellowing ring of once green bracts, have opened and the ripe brown seeds, loose and poised, about to fall to the ground. In cultivated areas the seedlings from last years seed drop have germinated and can be seen at seed leaf stage. With care these seedlings can be teased out of the soil and potted on for transplanting to establish colonies of Winter Aconites elsewhere. They do take 3 – 5 years to build up their tubers before flowering stage is reached but the result is well worth the investment.

Eranthis hyemalis seed