Herb: Buttercup


Latin name: Ranunculus pallasii


Family: Ranunculaceae (Buttercup Family)



Edible parts of Buttercup:

Root - cooked. Best harvested before the leaves are produced otherwise it becomes bitter. Some caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity. Young shoots and stems - cooked. Some caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Perennial


Height:
10 cm
(4 inches)

Flowering:
May to
July

Habitat of the herb:

Boggy tundra, lake shores, ox-bows, pools and boggy places in the polar and arctic zone.

Propagation of 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.

Cultivation of the herb:

Boggy tundra, lake shores, ox-bows, pools and boggy places in the polar and arctic zone.

Medicinal use of Buttercup:

None known

Known hazards of Ranunculus pallasii:

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.