PlantFiles: Winter Aconite
Eranthis cilicica

This variety of eranthis has bronze foliage when young. The leaves are less pronounced and more succulent than the hyemalis variety. The flowers are a deep clear yellow.

I planted these about 5 years ago in my lawn. Every year, early spring, they come up with their cheerful, bright yellow flowers. They haven't spread much, but they are increasing a little bit each year.

Your problem may be due to a heavy covering of mulch and/or too many of last fall's left-over tree leaves on the aconites. They sprout rather like a soybean - sort of curling up. Snowdrops and daffodils have no trouble coming out of the ground, as the leaves are pointed on the end. Aconites like to be cool in the hot summers, too. Be sure to let them die down naturally after blooming - plants will spread from the roots, but mostly from their seeds. I think the main thing is not to let the aconites smother.
You can't have enough aconites!

I love these early blooming little flowers, but over time they seem to be disappearing instead of multiplying. I wonder if I'm doing something wrong

These cheerful yellow flowers remind us that the garden will be soon be awake to welcome the new season.
We first saw this very early blooming bulb at our local botanic garden - Fernwood, Niles, MI after we finished a Master Gardener Training class back in 1998. There must have been a million of these little, single yellow flowers.
It's the first sign that Winter is leaving. We seen them trying to come up through the snow.They come back each season, we scatter the seeds. In at least two years they bloom.
The unusual foliage dies down by mid-June at the latest. The rabbits and squirrels leave them alone in our area.

Blooms slightly earlier than E. hyemalis in my garden. Perhaps more vigorous. Certainly more welcome fine foliage.

Foliage is bronze-green when new, turning more green as it matures.