Herb: Bulbous Buttercup


Latin name: Ranunculus bulbosus


Family: Ranunculaceae (Buttercup Family)



Medicinal use of Bulbous Buttercup:

The whole plant, and especially the sap, is acrid, anodyne, antispasmodic, diaphoretic, rubefacient. It was at one time rubbed on the skin by beggars in order to produce open sores and thereby excite sympathy. The root has been placed in a tooth cavity to act as a painkiller. A decoction of the plant has been used in the treatment of VD. Use this remedy with caution, see the notes above on toxicity.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Perennial


Height:
30 cm
(11 3/4 inch)

Flowering:
March
to June

Habitat of the herb:

Meadows, lawns, dry pastures, grassy slopes and fixed dunes, preferring a calcareous sub-strata.

Edible parts of Bulbous Buttercup:

Leaves - cooked. A famine food used when all else fails, and I would rather give it a miss even then! Root - must be dried beforehand and thoroughly cooked. When boiled, the roots are said to become so mild as to be eatable, though personally, I would rather give this one a miss as well. See the notes above on toxicity.

Propagation of the herb:

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.

Cultivation of Bulbous Buttercup:

Meadows, lawns, dry pastures, grassy slopes and fixed dunes, preferring a calcareous sub-strata.

Known hazards of Ranunculus bulbosus:

All parts of the plant are poisonous, the toxins can be destroyed by heat or by drying. The plant has a strongly acrid juice that can cause blistering to the skin.

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.