Herb: California Buttercup


Latin name: Ranunculus californicus


Family: Ranunculaceae (Buttercup Family)



Edible parts of California Buttercup:

Seed - cooked. 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.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Perennial


Height:
60 cm
(2 feet)

Flowering:
May to
July

Habitat of the herb:

Grassy bluffs by the coast. Grassland and open woodland from sea level to 2000 metres.

Propagation of California Buttercup:

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 of the herb:

Grassy bluffs by the coast. Grassland and open woodland from sea level to 2000 metres.

Medicinal use of California Buttercup:

None known

Known hazards of Ranunculus californicus:

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. Many if not all plants in this genus also have a strongly acrid juice that can cause blistering to the skin.

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.