Ranunculus occidentalis
| Ranunculus occidentalis | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 2' |
| Blooms: | Late Spring-Mid Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Ranunculus occidentalis (common name: western 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: We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it should succeed outdoors at least in the milder areas of the country. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus.
Prefers a moist loamy soil[1].
A greedy plant, inhibiting the growth of nearby plants, especially legumes[2].
Range: South-western N. America - British Columbia to California and Nevada.
Habitat: Vernally moist ground, 100 - 1800 metres[3]. Grassy slopes of meadows or open woodlands from sea level to 1500 metres[4].
Edibility: Seed - cooked[5][4]. Used as piñole either on its own or mixed with other seeds[5]. The seed must be parched in order to remove an acrid principle[6][7].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: The juice from the flowers was used as a poison by native North American Indians[4]. Thse toxins are likely to be present in all parts of the plant and can be destroyed by heat or by drying[8][9][10][11][12][13]. Many if not all plants in this genus al
Also Known As: R. occidentalis eisenii. (Kellogg.)Gray.
Links
References
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ Hatfield, Audrey. How to Enjoy your Weeds. Frederick Muller Ltd, 1974.
- ↑ Munz, David. A California Flora. University of California Press, 1959.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 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.