COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Michigan natural resources officials are warning residents about the rapid spread of lesser celandine, a non-native invasive plant currently blooming across parts of the state.
The plat is easily identified by it’s vibrant yellow flowers and heart shaped leaves, but experts say despite it’s cheerful appearance it poses serious threats to local ecosystems.
Because it emerges in very early spring, it creates a dense mat that outcompetes and smothers native wildflowers before they have a chance to grow.
The plant is particularly difficult to manage because it only appears for a short window of time before dying back underground by mid-June, leaving its roots and tubers to spread undetected.
State officials are urging the public to document and report any sightings via the Midwest Invasive Species Information Network (MISIN) to help track its current range.
Early detection is considered critical, as established patches of lesser celandine are notoriously difficult to eradicate once they have taken hold in lawns or woodlands.
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