A small yellow flower is quietly transforming Indiana’s woodlands and streambanks — and not in a good way.
Lesser celandine, a bright buttercup-like plant native to Europe, is spreading so aggressively across the state that it’s driving out the wildflowers that once colored Indiana’s spring landscapes.
Ecologists say the plant’s rapid takeover is threatening both local ecosystems and the communities that depend on them.
What’s happening?
The IndyStar reported that lesser celandine (also known as fig buttercup) has surged across Indiana’s parks, riverbanks, and urban green spaces, forming dense carpets that choke out native blooms such as blue phlox, wood poppies, and Jack-in-the-pulpit.
“Now, there is nothing but lesser celandine,” botanist Ellen Jacquart, who has tracked its spread for years, told the Star.
The plant’s underground tubers allow it to survive the harsh summers and regenerate even from small root fragments, making removal “a frustrating ongoing game of whack-a-mole,” according to Joe Boggs of Ohio State University.
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Why is lesser celandine concerning?
This isn’t just a flower problem. When invasive plants like lesser celandine crowd out native species, they unravel the food web that supports insects, birds, and pollinators — wildlife critical to agriculture and human food supplies.
Biodiversity loss also makes urban and rural ecosystems less resilient to flooding, erosion, and disease.
Similar invasions, from tree-killing spotted lanternflies to fast-spreading kudzu vines, show how quickly non-native species can upend ecosystems and cost communities millions in management and crop losses.
What can be done about invasive species?
Local conservation groups and city park managers are experimenting with solutions, from carefully timed herbicide treatments to labor-intensive digging and removal before the plant flowers.
Herbicides aren’t always the best option for weed removal because of the chemicals they often contain. These substances can harm other plant life and animals, and they can even leach into soil and water supplies.
However, in the case of some invasive plant species, herbicides may be the only effective means of eradicating the problem.
Success requires years of persistent effort and cooperation among landowners, residents, and government agencies.
Everyday gardeners can help by avoiding the planting of ornamental invasive species and by choosing native plants that support pollinators and soil health. Reporting sightings to local invasive species councils and cleaning hiking boots or yard tools between sites can also slow the spread.
Protective native wildflowers may seem insignificant, but they safeguard the pollinators, food systems, and waterways that keep communities healthy.
As Jacquart warned, the fight against lesser celandine isn’t easy — but every pulled plant and every native garden brings Indiana’s landscapes one step closer to balance.
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