Amur pheasant's eye (Adonis amurensis) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

Amur pheasant's eye is a woodland perennial from northeastern Asia that is cultivated in the United States. Its waxy yellow flowers open before the feathery leaves fully expand, closing in cold or cloudy weather and reopening in sunshine.

Appearance

Appearance: Waxy, bright yellow flowers 1–2 in (2.5–5 cm) wide open above finely divided green leaves. A garden clump is about 1 ft (30 cm) tall and wide.
Flowering time: In the Chicago area it may flower from late winter through early spring.

Look-alikes

winter aconiteEranthis hyemalis

Winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) has smaller yellow flowers perched on a fringe of green leaves. Amur pheasant’s eye has larger flowers that first rise on nearly leafless stalks; its later leaves look finely feathery.

Why they get mixed upBoth can bloom very early with bright yellow flowers in U.S. gardens.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: dappled woodland gardens
moist rock gardens
Range: It is native to northeastern Asia, including the Russian Far East, northeastern China, and Korea. In the United States it is cultivated rather than native.
Preferred conditions: It grows in full sun to light shade in rich, moist, well-drained soil. It is listed for USDA Zones 4–7.
Flowering: Flowers Jan–Apr
Flowers Jan–Apr

Behavior

Activity: The flowers close during cold or cloudy weather and reopen in sunshine. The plant goes after its short spring growing season.

Name and classification

About the name: Adonis vernalis var. amurensis is an older name for this species. A 2025 study proposed separating the Japanese plants long called Adonis amurensis as Adonis puberula.

Conservation

IUCN Red List: NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed

Culture and stories

Culture and stories: The genus name Adonis recalls the figure from Greek mythology.

11 sources