When the snow melts as winter turns to spring, Pennsylvania comes alive with birdsong, buzzing, and colorful wildflowers including trilliums, trout-lilies, and spring beauties. However, this abundance of life in the springtime is threatened by invasive species. Lesser celandine (Ficaria verna) is an herbaceous, perennial invasive plant that has established in Pennsylvania. This introduced spring ephemeral flower is impeding on the ecological niches occupied by the trilliums, trout-lilies, spring beauties and other native wildflowers and plant species found in the Commonwealth.

In several places throughout Pennsylvania, lesser celandine has already become the dominant spring wildflower, pushing out native plants from their natural ecosystems. In many other places, however, lesser celandine is only getting started or has yet to appear, presenting us with a golden opportunity to prevent further losses. This spring, through March and April, please join PA iMapInvasives and the Western PA Conservancy in a concerted effort to seek out new populations of lesser celandine and keep a watchful eye on known infestations. Participants will aid in uncovering the full extent of lesser celandine’s spread, helping to identify the areas where intervention is most critical.

Join Invasive Plant Ecologist Brian Daggs and PA iMapInvasives Program Coordinator Amy Jewitt on Thursday, February 27 at 11 a.m. for a webinar training that will discuss how interested individuals can participate in this new statewide event. Details will be provided on how to identify lesser celandine, how to report findings to iMapInvasives and other event logistics. The two-month event is set to begin March 1 and end April 30.

Please review the following ArcGIS StoryMap which provides important details on how to participate in this new event.