Ranunculus californicus
| Ranunculus californicus | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 7 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 2' |
| Blooms: | Late Spring-Mid Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Ranunculus californicus (common name: california buttercup)
Propagation: Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer.
Division in spring. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer.
Cultivation: Prefers a moist loamy soil[1].
A greedy plant, inhibiting the growth of nearby plants, especially legumes[2].
Range: South-western N. America - Oregon to S. California..
Habitat: Grassy bluffs by the coast[3]. Grassland and open woodland from sea level to 2000 metres[4].
Edibility: Seed - cooked[5]. It is usually ground into a powder and can then be used as a mush with water, a flavouring in soups, or mixed with cereals when making bread etc[6][7][5].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Wind: Tolerates strong winds
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: Although no specific record of toxicity has been found for this plant, many if not all members of this genus are poisonous. These toxins can be destroyed by heat or by drying[8][9][10][11][12][13]. Many if not all plants in this genus also have a strongl
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References
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ Hatfield, Audrey. How to Enjoy your Weeds. Frederick Muller Ltd, 1974.
- ↑ Hitchcock, Leo. Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press, 1955.
- ↑ Flora of North America.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Moerman, Daniel. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 1998.
- ↑ Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.
- ↑ Yanovsky, Elias. Food Plants of the North American Indians Publication 237. US Department of Agriculture.
- ↑ Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.
- ↑ Altmann, Horst. Poisonous Plants and Animals. Chatto and Windus, 1980.
- ↑ Triska, Jan. Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn, 1975.
- ↑ Stary, Frantisek. Poisonous Plants. Hamlyn, 1983.
- ↑ Elias, Thomas. A Field Guide to North American Edible Wild Plants. Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1982.
- ↑ Frohne, Dietrich and Hans Pfänder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Timber Press, 1984.