European regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)
EU 27 regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)

Adonis vernalis is classed as Least Concern as it is widespread in Europe and found at hundreds of localities. The population trend is unknown and there are several factors causing habitat loss and degradation that threaten this species. Adonis vernalis is an important medicinal plants and unsustainable harvesting affects the plant negatively. However, the risk of the species going completely extinct in Europe is suspected to be quite low. Information on the population trend and eventual rate of declines at European level should be collected and this might make a review of the threat status of this species necessary.

This plant is found from Spain in the west to Ukraine in the east and extends from Central Europe southwards to the Balkan Peninsula. It is absent from northern Europe and the Mediterranean Islands (Euro+Med Plantbase 2006-2010). Adonis vernalis also occurs in the Caucasus and is endemic to Europe and temperate Asia (USDA 2010).

In Germany, the populations are declining. In Serbia, it is estimated to be Vulnerable (V. Stevanovic pers.comm. 2010).
In France, it occurs in 17 communes in the south of France and on in Alsace, in the northeast. It can be abundant in southern populations.
In Ukraine Adonis vernalis is distributed mainly in lesosteppe (forest-steppe zone (near 350 localities) and in steppe zone (near 150 localities). In the zone of deciduous and mixed forests in the Polesian lowland it occurs in only 17 localities. Separate parts of area of Adonis vernalis is situated in foot-hill of the Crimean Mountains from Sewastopol in the west to Feodosia in the east at the altitude of 150-800 m (near 150 localities). Some localities are founds in the plain part of Crimea on Tarchankut and Kerch peninsulas (near 20 localities). On the boundary between forest-steppe and steppe zones and in the Crimean Mountains the population density is high (8-25/m²) (Melnyk and Parubok 2004).
The overall population trend at European level is unknown.

Adonis vernalis is a perennial rhizomatous plant that flowers from April to May. It is found in dry and poor grasslands (Festuco-Brometea societies) and in pine forests (Klotz et al. 2002). It can be found in forest margins and steppes or in the ecotone between forests and steppes.

In Ukraine, Adonis vernalis grows in well drained places in meadow steppes of Botriochloeta ishaemi, Cariceta humilis, Ceraseta fruticosa, Elytrigeta repentis, Helictotricheta desertori, Festuceta valesiacea, Koeleria cristatae, Stipeta capillatae, Stipeta pennatae, Stipeta ucrainicae formation and petrophilous communities of Seslerieta heufleriana, Thymeta cretacei formations (Melnyk and Parubok 2004).
In European Russia Adonis vernalis is a component of meadow steppe communities of Festuceta valesiacae, Koeleria cristatae, Stipeta capillatae, Stipeta pennatae, Stipeta tirsea, Stipeta pulcherimae, Stipeta zalesskii formations and in light oak forests (Pochkurlat 2000).
In Poland, the species is a component of  communities of Festuco-Brometea class, in Slovakia it is a component of Festucion valesiacae, Quercion pubescentis alliances. In Czech Republic it occurs in Festuceto-Caricetum humilis association. In Germany Adonis vernalis grows in dry light forest in Potentilo albae – Quercetum petraea and Adoniso-Brachypodietum pinneti associations. In Hungary it is a component of the Astragalo-Festucetum association. In Romania Adonis vernalis is found in steppes dominated by Chrysopogon gryllus, Stipa cappilata, Stipa pennata, Stipa pulcherima, and in light forest Aceri tatarici – Quercion association. In Moldova it also occurs in forest plantations of Robinia pseudoacacia.

The species may be favoured by traditional sheep rearing, as sheep do not eat it (decline in traditional agricultural practice may threaten the species).

Habitat loss and degradation are serious threats and caused by the transformation of grassland into agricultural areas, wood plantations or building areas including the infilling of as well as soil extraction from the habitat. The abandonment of traditional agricultural activities often leads to overgrowth with shrubs and an increased competition for this plant. Inappropriate collection for medicinal use still poses a considerable threat. Locally, tourism has been described as a threat (Bundesamt für Naturschutz 2010, WWF Germany and TRAFFIC unknown).

Parts of the plant or the whole plant are used for medicinal purposes. It is used to treat heart and thyroid diseases as well as cardiac and circulatory troubles. The species is mainly collected from the wild and inappropriate harvesting, such as more often than every 3-4 years or removal of all shoots or the root, can damage the plant. Plants for the trade are mainly exported from Bulgaria, Romania, Russia, and Ukraine. The main importers are Germany and France (WWF Germany and TRAFFIC unknown).

Adonis vernalis is sometimes sold as a garden plant. Its cultivation has not been successful from an economic point of view yet which increases the pressure on the wild populations (WWF Germany and TRAFFIC unknown).

Adonis vernalis is listed under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and under Annex B of the EU Wildlife Trade Regulation 318-2008.

It has been classed as vulnerable in the Carpathian region on the Carpathian List of Endangered Species (Witkowski et al. 2003).
In Germany, the species is under protection and classed as threatened on the national Red List (Ludwig and Schnittler 1996) and included in several regional Red Lists (Bundesamt für Naturschutz 2010). It is also protected in France where several localities are in Parc National des Cevennes, Réserve Naturelle or Natura 2000 areas. In Hungary, it is not inlcuded in the national red list but protected (Király 2007).
In Croatia it is classed as Data Deficient (Flora Croatica Database 2010). It is classed as Near Threatened in Sweden (Gärdenfors 2010) and in Russia (I. Illarionova pers. comm. 2010). Italy lists it as Critically Endangered (Conti et al. 1997), Czech Republic as Endangered (Holub and Procházka 2000) and Switzerland as Vulnerable (Moser et al. 2002). The species is included in the Red Data Book of Ukraine (Diduch 2009) as Rare and is protected in many reserves in Ukraine. Ex situ protection in the National Botanical Garden Ukrainian Academy of Sciences in Kyiv, is underway.

In many countries harvest management plans are in place.