Asian celandine (Chelidonium asiaticum) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

Asian celandine is an East Asian herb that grows along paths and field edges and has yellow flowers with four petals. Asian celandine has no documented wild range in the U.S.; its similar relative, greater celandine (Chelidonium majus), is naturalized in the eastern U.S. Its yellow-orange sap can irritate skin, and the plant should not be eaten.

Appearance

Growth form: A leafy herb about 1–2.5 ft (30–80 cm) tall with a thick .
Leaves: Deeply divided, feather-like leaves with rounded teeth. Broken leaves and stems ooze yellow-orange sap.
Flowers: Bright yellow flowers with four petals, held in small clusters at the tips of stems.
Flowering time: In Korea, blooms from May to August.
Fruit: Slender pod-like fruits about 1¼–1½ in (3–4 cm) long.

Look-alikes

greater celandineChelidonium majus

Greater celandine looks very similar and is the one naturalized in the eastern U.S. Asian celandine tends to be hairier and to have narrower, more pointed leaf lobes; photos may not settle a close case.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: roadsides in East Asia
field edges in East Asia
forest edges in East Asia
Range: Native to Korea, Japan, northern China, and the Russian Far East. No wild U.S. range is documented for this species; its close relative greater celandine is established in North America.
Preferred conditions: In its East Asian range, it grows in open, disturbed places near paths and fields.

Cautions

Cautions: The yellow-orange sap can irritate skin, and the plant should not be eaten.

Name and classification

About the name: Some botanists treat Asian celandine as a subspecies of greater celandine under the name Chelidonium majus subsp. asiaticum.

Conservation

IUCN Red List: NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed

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