Practical
Plants

Ranunculus acris

Meadow Buttercup

a perennial member of the Ranunculus genus in the family Ranunculaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Height
1 m
Fertility
Bees, Flies, Beetles, Lepidoptera
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees, Flies, Beetles, Lepidoptera

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

All parts of the plant are poisonous, the toxins can be destroyed by heat or by drying[13][2][3][7][15][16]. The plant has a strongly acrid juice that can cause blistering to the skin[16][5].

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Leaves - cooked and used as greens[12]. Some caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity.

Plant part
Leaves

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The whole plant is acrid, anodyne, antispasmodic, diaphoretic and rubefacient[13][8]. The plant has been crushed and applied as a poultice to the chest to relieve colds and chest pains[12]. The fresh leaves have been used as a rubefacient in the treatment of rheumatism etc[9]. The flowers and the leaves have been crushed and sniffed as a treatment for headaches[12]. An infusion of the roots has been used in the treatment of diarrhoea[12]. The poulticed root is also rubefacient and was applied to boils and abscess[9][12]. The plant sap has been used to remove warts[13]. The sap has also been used as a sedative[12]. The flowers are used in Tibetan medicine, where they are considered to have an acrid taste and a heating potency[11]. Their use is said to promote heat, dissolve tumours and draw out serous fluids[11]. They are used in the treatment of disorders brought about by rotting sores or wounds[11]. Use with caution[8], the whole plant is extremely acrid and can cause intense pain and burning of the mouth, mucous membranes etc[9].

Product or use
Acrid
Product or use
Anodyne
Product or use
Antispasmodic
Product or use
Diaphoretic
Product or use
Rubefacient
Product or use
Warts

Environment

Range
Europe, including Britain, from Iceland south and east to Spain, through Asia to China and Japan.
Habitat
Damp meadows and pastures, usually on calcareous or circum-neutral soils[13][4]. Also found on damp rock ledges, in gullies and occasionally on mountain top detritus[4].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
high
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow spring in situ. You are very unlikely to need to encourage this plant. Division in spring. Very easy, though probably totally unnecessary, larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Prefers a moist loamy soil[1]. Grows well in marshy soils[10]. Plants are hardy to at least -20°c[6]. A good plant for the summer meadow[10]. It spreads rapidly by means of runners and is often a weed in lawns or gardens. A polymorphic species, there is at least one named variety. 'Flore Pleno' is a double-flowered form that does not spread by runners and so is unlikely to become a nuisance in the garden[6]. A greedy plant, inhibiting the growth of nearby plants, especially legumes[14].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩

  2. Altmann. H. Poisonous Plants and Animals. Chatto and Windus 1980-00-00 ISBN 0-7011-2526-8

    ↩

  3. Triska. Dr. Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-600-33545-3

    ↩

  4. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  5. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩

  6. Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2. Pan Books 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30936-9

    ↩1↩2

  7. Stary. F. Poisonous Plants. Hamlyn 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-600-35666-3

    ↩

  8. Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-553-23827-2

    ↩1↩2

  9. Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0395467225

    ↩1↩2↩3

  10. Baines. C. Making a Wildlife Garden.

    ↩1↩2

  11. Tsarong. Tsewang. J. Tibetan Medicinal Plants Tibetan Medical Publications, India 1994-00-00 ISBN 81-900489-0-2

    ↩1↩2↩3

  12. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  13. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  14. Hatfield. A. W. How to Enjoy your Weeds. Frederick Muller Ltd 1977-00-00 ISBN 0-584-10141-4

    ↩

  15. Elias. T. and Dykeman. P. A Field Guide to N. American Edible Wild Plants. Van Nostrand Reinhold 1982-00-00 ISBN 0442222009

    ↩

  16. Frohne. D. and Pf�nder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Wolfe 1984-00-00 ISBN 0723408394

    ↩1↩2

Edit this page