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Globeflower Wikimedia Commons
Ranunculaceae

Globeflower

Trollius europaeus

Cooperation, devotion, gratitude.

Family
Ranunculaceae
Genus
Trollius
Native to
Europe, western Asia
Bloom season
Late Spring, Early Summer
Type
Herbaceous perennial
Height
30–90 cm
Sunlight
Full sun to part shade
Soil
Rich, moist, even boggy
Water
High
Hardiness
3–7
Lifespan
Long-lived perennial

Did you know

  • The petals never fully open — they curve inward to form a perfect golden globe that protects the inner reproductive parts from rain.
  • A specialist tiny fly called Chiastocheta breeds inside the flower and cannot reproduce anywhere else, while the plant depends on the fly to spread its pollen — a textbook case of mutualism.
  • The name Trollius comes from a Swiss German word for 'round thing', referring to the globe-shaped flowers.
  • Globeflowers love bog gardens and pond edges, which is unusual for buttercup family members.
  • The mountain meadows of the Alps are dotted with thousands of glowing yellow globeflowers in early summer, a hallmark of subalpine flora.

Color meanings

Yellow

Quiet thanks

Uses

  • Bog gardens
  • Pond edges
  • Cottage borders
  • Cut flowers