Description
True species. Our stock of Adonis amurensis is a fertile, single form which is true to name. Its origins are in the far east of Russia rather than Japan. The true plant is rarely, if ever, encountered in cultivation.
Instead this name is usually represented by hybrids, especially the cultivar Fukujukai which is a semi-doubled, sterile clone which originated as a wild hybrid. Ironically the parentage of Fukujukai does not even involve amurensis at all, it is a cross between A. ramosa and A. multiflora and it is not only sterile, it is triploid. This all happened a long time ago and because it was clearly vigorous Fukujukai was subsequently taken into cultivation at a time when any Adonis that was yellow and early flowering was called “amurensis” and so the name of amurensis was incorrectly applied to the hybrid Fukujukai and has stuck to it ever since. The majority of other “amurensis” forms are similarly hybrid and most do not involve true amurensis in their parentage.
The true amurensis makes slightly smaller rootstocks and top growths than the changeling hybrid. Its delicate-looking, feathery, leaf growths are tough though and are produced along with good sized, bright butter-yellow flowers, from January onwards.
Best under deciduous shrubs or very small trees in conditions which give full sun when the plant is in flower but then half shade once the trees leaf up. Humus rich soil is best.
