If Veronica was a whisper, lesser celandine is the first truecry of lightacross the meadow. You notice it among the still-damp grass: a glossy yellow flower, almost lacquered, as though it were made to reflect sunlight back onto the ground.
IfVeronica persicatold us that the system was ready to awaken, lesser celandine (Ficaria verna,formerlyRanunculus ficaria)tells us something more:the restart is no longer just a signal—it is a phase that has truly begun.
Its Strategy
- Underground reserves: it is ageophyte.It survives thanks to underground tubers that store energy, allowing it to emerge early without waiting for “perfect conditions.”
- A window of light:it flowers now, before hedgerows, trees and finally the vines close the sky with their leaves. It is a plant that lives within a narrow window of opportunity, and everything must happen early.
- Fresh soil:it appears where the ground still remainscool and moistat this time of year. This does not automatically mean waterlogging; more often it simply marks areas that have retained winter moisture well.
Here, Yin and Yang Become Tangible
- For months, lesser celandine has remained hidden beneath the soil:accumulation, silence and stored energy(Yin).
- Now that stored energy becomes an open, luminous flower:expression, expansion(Yang).
In the vineyard, the lesson is simple:there is no growth without invisible preparation.What we will soon see on the vines is also the result of everything that has been built beneath the soil during the dormant season.
What Does It Tell Us at This Stage?
The presence of lesser celandine often marks areas where moisture is still present. That is precisely why the soil, at this stage, is alive but vulnerable:it takes very little to close its pores and compact it.
What Not to Do
Avoid driving heavy machinery over the vineyard if the ground still feels soft underfoot, especially in lower areas or where lesser celandine forms dense patches. Compacting the soil now means depriving it of oxygen just as roots and soil life are reawakening.
A Small Early Resource
Together with Veronica, lesser celandine provides anearly source of nourishmentfor the first insects becoming active. It is not yet the season of abundant nectar-producing flowers, but it is one of those small signs that keep the flame of biodiversity alive.
—
Campogialli, 16/02/2026
Giovanni Batacchi
Winegrower and interpreter of the vineyard, from vine to bottle.