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Ranunculus bulbosus - L.
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Common Name
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Bulbous Buttercup
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Family
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Ranunculaceae
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Synonyms
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Known Hazards
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All parts of the plant are poisonous, the toxins can be destroyed by heat or by drying[4, 10, 13, 19, 62, 65]. The plant has a strongly acrid juice that can cause blistering to the skin[65, 183].
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Habitats
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Meadows, lawns, dry pastures, grassy slopes and fixed dunes, preferring a calcareous sub-strata[17].
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Range
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Europe, including Britain, from Scandanavia south and east to N. Africa and Greece.
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Edibility Rating
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Medicinal Rating
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Care
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Physical Characteristics
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Ranunculus bulbosus is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.3 m (1ft) by 1 m (3ft 3in) at a fast rate.
It is not frost tender. It is in flower from Mar to June. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees, flies, beetles, lepidoptera.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
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http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ranunculus_spp_Sturm51.jpg |
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| http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Llez |
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Edible Uses
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Edible Parts: Leaves; Root.
Edible Uses:
Leaves - cooked. A famine food used when all else fails[177], and I would rather give it a miss even then[K]! Root - must be dried beforehand and thoroughly cooked[105, 183]. When boiled, the roots are said to become so mild as to be eatable[2], though personally, I would rather give this one a miss as well[K]. See the notes above on toxicity.
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Medicinal Uses
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Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Acrid; Anodyne; Antirheumatic; Antispasmodic; Diaphoretic; Rubefacient; VD.
The whole plant, and especially the sap, is acrid, anodyne, antispasmodic, diaphoretic, rubefacient[4, 21]. It was at one time rubbed on the skin by beggars in order to produce open sores and thereby excite sympathy[4]. The root has been placed in a tooth cavity to act as a painkiller[257]. A decoction of the plant has been used in the treatment of VD[257]. Use this remedy with caution, see the notes above on toxicity[21].
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Cultivation details
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Prefers a moist loamy soil[1]. A common weed of lawns and gardens, it can be very difficult to eradicate when established[4]. It is a polymorphic species[17] and there is at least one named variety which has been selected for its ornamental value[187]. A greedy plant, inhibiting the growth of nearby plants, especially legumes[54].
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Propagation
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Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. This species is a common weed and doesn't really need any help from us. Division in spring. Very easy, though probably totally unnecessary, larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions.
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 You can download this page as a PDF
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Links / References
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[K] Ken Fern Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
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[1]F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
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Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
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[2]Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World.
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Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
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[4]Grieve. A Modern Herbal.
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Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
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[17]Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles.
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A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
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[21]Lust. J. The Herb Book.
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Lots of information tightly crammed into a fairly small book.
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[54]Hatfield. A. W. How to Enjoy your Weeds.
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Interesting reading.
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[105]Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World.
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The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
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[177]Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption.
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An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
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[183]Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
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Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
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[187]Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2.
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Photographs of over 3,000 species and cultivars of ornamental plants together with brief cultivation notes, details of habitat etc.
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[257]Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany
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Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.
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Subject : Ranunculus bulbosus
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