Bulbous Buttercup, St. Anthony's turnip
Ranunculus bulbosus
Family: Ranunculaceae
What it is like
Ranunculus bulbosus is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.3 m (1ft) by 1 m (3ft 3in) at a fast rate. It is not frost tender. It is in flower from March to June. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees, flies, beetles, Lepidoptera (Moths & Butterflies). Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 0.3
Where it is found
Meadows, lawns, dry pastures, grassy slopes and fixed dunes, preferring a calcareous sub-strata.
Europe, including Britain, from Scandanavia south and east to N. Africa and Greece.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 1
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.
Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.
Medicine
Rating: 2
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.
Acrid: Causes heat and irritation when applied to the skin.
Anodyne: Relieves pain, it is milder than an analgesic.
Antirheumatic: Treats rheumatism.
Antispasmodic: Relaxes muscular spasms and cramps, calming nervous irritation.
Diaphoretic: Induces perspiration.
Rubefacient: A counter-irritant and external stimulant, it produces inflammation and redness of the skin.
VD: Used in the treatment of venereal disease
Other
Rating: 0
How it is grown
Prefers a moist loamy soil. A common weed of lawns and gardens, it can be very difficult to eradicate when established. It is a polymorphic species and there is at least one named variety which has been selected for its ornamental value. A greedy plant, inhibiting the growth of nearby plants, especially legumes.
Propagating it: 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.
Best place to grow: Lawn; Meadow;
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness: 0-0
Growth: Fast
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist
Things to keep in mind
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.