Trollius europaeus aka Globeflower

Trollius europaeus belongs to the buttercup family. This perennial lives for years. Its common names are globeflower and European globeflower. It grows wild across Europe and into western Siberia. Britain and Ireland also lie within its native range. Wild plants grow in damp meadows, woods, and wet pastures. They also grow near streams and among scrub. The plant suits cool places where the ground stays moist.

It forms small, upright clumps and sheds its leaves each year. Garden plants reach about 2–3.3 feet [0.6–1 metre] tall. Missouri Botanical Garden gives the low end of this range. RHS gives the high end for plants in gardens. Clumps spread to about 1.5–1.6 feet [0.46–0.5 metres]. The dark green leaves have three to five deep lobes. Each lobe has toothed edges and may split further. Leaves at the base have long stalks. These leaves form the main clump. Smaller leaves grow on the stems above, with no stalks. Flower stems may branch or have no branches.

Round, lemon-yellow flowers rise above the leaves in spring. Each flower measures about one to two inches across. Flowers may grow alone or in pairs. Most accounts place bloom in late spring and early summer. Chicago also lists bloom times from March through June. The flowers draw butterflies and add color to damp borders. They suit beds, moist meadows, and open woodland gardens. Grow them beside ponds or streams, or in bog gardens. Ferns and astilbe can share these moist sites.

Give plants deep, rich soil that does not dry out. Clay and loam suit them across a broad pH range. They cope with wet ground and soil that drains poorly. Full sun can suit them in cool places. Part shade helps more as summers grow hotter. Strong sun may bleach the leaves. Dry soil makes plants decline. Missouri Botanical Garden warns against planting south of USDA zone 6. Chicago lists hardiness in USDA zones 4–7. RHS gives H7, its rating for severe continental winter cold. Plants take two to five years to reach full size.

RHS says to cut plants back once bloom ends. Divide clumps in spring, or late summer to early fall. Plants may seed themselves where the site suits them. Pests seldom cause trouble, though powdery mildew can occur. Missouri Botanical Garden also notes that plants resist rabbit damage. PFAF lists no edible uses. It warns that fresh plants are mildly poisonous. It records past use as medicine, including roots as a purgative. A purgative makes the bowels empty. These records do not prove that home treatment is safe.