Eranthis
Flowering reliably where little else will grow, Eranthis hyemalis, or winter aconite, is a cheerful little flower and a true harbinger of spring, often appearing before the last of the snow has melted away. This small tuberous perennial with palmately or pinnately lobed basal leaves and cup-shaped flowers creates a big show when the winter garden most needs an injection of color. Deer resistant and easy to grow, it does well under deciduous trees and shrubs that provide full sun in winter and dappled shade in summer.
