Flower profile

Greater celandine

Chelidonium majus

Greater celandine (Chelidonium majus) is a flowering plant in the Papaveraceae family, introduced in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly April–June across the U.S.

Introduced in the lower 48

Greater celandine is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as introduced in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 6 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in April–June.

29states where USDA records it

6Bloomipedia state lists include it

25,151U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont

Quick look

Chelidonium majus, the greater celandine, is a perennial herbaceous flowering plant in the poppy family Papaveraceae. One of two species in the genus Chelidonium, it is native to Europe and western Asia and introduced widely in North America.
From Wikipedia's article Chelidonium majus, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Papaveraceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a biennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as introduced in the lower 48 states and records it in 29 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as not native to New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Connecticut and Rhode Island. ^NatureServe
In New York, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–June. ^iNaturalist
In Massachusetts, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–June. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 4,882 research-grade sightings of it in New York, ranking #45 among the 193 flowers on our New York list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 4,841 research-grade sightings of it in Massachusetts, ranking #25 among the 188 flowers on our Massachusetts list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 3,610 research-grade sightings of it in Pennsylvania, ranking #55 among the 190 flowers on our Pennsylvania list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (2,990 records)

Bloom time in the 6 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it

State	Type	Peak bloom	Sightings*
New York	Introduced	April–June	4,882
Massachusetts	Introduced	May–June	4,841
Pennsylvania	Introduced	April–June	3,610
Vermont	Introduced	May–June	1,887
Connecticut	Introduced	May	1,421
Rhode Island	Introduced	few records (26)	346

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)

Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}

NatureServe global

GNR Not yet ranked worldwide. ^NatureServe

State rare plant lists

Not listed Not on the official rare plant list in 6 of our 6 states.

See each state

New York: Not listed Not on New York protected native plants (6 NYCRR § 193.3). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in New York. ^{6 NYCRR § 193.3}
Massachusetts: Not listed Not on Massachusetts Endangered Species Act list (321 CMR 10.90). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Massachusetts. ^{MESA list}
Pennsylvania: Not listed Not on Pennsylvania classified native plants (17 Pa. Code Ch. 45, Subchapter B, as amended 2023). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Pennsylvania. ^{17 Pa. Code Ch. 45}
Vermont: Not listed Not on Endangered and Threatened Plants of Vermont (10 V.S.A. chap. 123; list of Feb 10, 2022). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Vermont. ^{Vermont E&T list}
Connecticut: Not listed Not on Connecticut Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Plants (RCSA 26-306; 2015 list). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Connecticut. ^{CT E/T/SC list}
Rhode Island: Not listed Not on Rhode Island Rare Plants 2016 (RI Natural History Survey, from the RI Wildlife Action Plan; informational, Rhode Island has no state plant-protection listing law). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Rhode Island. ^{RI rare plants 2016}

Rare elsewhere

No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peoplePoisonous to people

NC State Extension lists it as poisonous to humans (severity: high). Poisonous parts: flowers, leaves, roots, sap/juice. Symptoms they list: “Can cause nausea, vomiting and liver failure. The sap is extremely irritating to the skin and eyes.” ^{NC State Extension}

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records greater celandine in 29 states plus Washington, D.C.

AKMEVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILWIMINYRIMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTCAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin; District of Columbia.

New York counties with USDA records: Albany, Allegany, Bronx, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chemung, Chenango, Clinton, Columbia, Cortland, Delaware, Dutchess, Erie, Herkimer, Kings, Lewis, Livingston, Madison, Monroe, Nassau, New York, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga, Ontario, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Rensselaer, Richmond, Rockland, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Seneca, Steuben, Suffolk, Tioga, Tompkins, Ulster, Warren, Washington, Westchester, Yates.

Massachusetts counties with USDA records: Barnstable, Berkshire, Bristol, Dukes, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk, Worcester.

Pennsylvania counties with USDA records: Adams, Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Berks, Blair, Bradford, Bucks, Butler, Cambria, Cameron, Carbon, Centre, Chester, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Columbia, Crawford, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Erie, Fayette, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Indiana, Jefferson, Juniata, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, Mercer, Mifflin, Monroe, Montgomery, Northampton, Northumberland, Perry, Philadelphia, Pike, Potter, Schuylkill, Snyder, Somerset, Sullivan, Tioga, Union, Venango, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Westmoreland, Wyoming, York.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Introduced; Lower 48 states: Introduced.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 341 counties across 23 states; the most are in Pennsylvania (62), Ohio (47), New York (44).

Other Chelidonium on Bloomipedia (1): Celandine poppy.

More from the Papaveraceae family (16 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Bloodroot, California poppy, Dutchman's breeches, Pacific bleeding heart, Bush poppy, Squirrel corn, Yellow corydalis, Thistle poppy.

More New York flowers

Bloodroot

Sanguinaria canadensis

Native

🌼 Blooms in NY: April

White snakeroot

Ageratina altissima

Native

🌼 Blooms in NY: August–October

Common milkweed

Asclepias syriaca

Native

🌼 Blooms in NY: June–July

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile CHMA2.
iNaturalist, Chelidonium majus: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Chelidonium majus (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
State rare and invasive plant lists (11):
Show all 11 state lists
- New York: New York protected native plants (6 NYCRR § 193.3).
- New York: New York prohibited and regulated invasive species (6 NYCRR Part 575).
- Massachusetts: Massachusetts Endangered Species Act list (321 CMR 10.90).
- Massachusetts: Massachusetts Prohibited Plant List (MDAR) (Text from MDAR's 2023 scientific-name PDF (mass.gov blocks automated downloads); 2024-2026 additions listed on the mass.gov page: Alnus glutinosa, Pyrus calleryana, Miscanthus sinensis, Aralia elata, Rhodotypos scandens, Symplocos paniculata.).
- Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania classified native plants (17 Pa. Code Ch. 45, Subchapter B, as amended 2023).
- Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Noxious Weed List (3 Pa.C.S. § 1519, PA Dept. of Agriculture) (PDA's page spells garlic mustard “Allaria petiolata”; we match it as Alliaria petiolata).
- Vermont: Endangered and Threatened Plants of Vermont (10 V.S.A. chap. 123; list of Feb 10, 2022).
- Vermont: Vermont Quarantine List, Regulated Introduced Plant Species Rule (eff. June 16, 2026).
- Connecticut: Connecticut Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Plants (RCSA 26-306; 2015 list).
- Connecticut: Connecticut prohibited invasive plants (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 22a-381d).
- Rhode Island: Rhode Island Rare Plants 2016 (RI Natural History Survey, from the RI Wildlife Action Plan; informational, Rhode Island has no state plant-protection listing law).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Chelidonium majus (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
Photo: er-birds via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.