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Ranunculus acris

Meadow Buttercup · Tall Buttercup · Common Buttercup

Family RanunculaceaeGenus Ranunculus

Slender green stems and divided leaves standing in meadow grass
The whole plantAlinjaCC BY-SA 4.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

Safety

Toxicity
Poisonous to cattle, goats, horses. All parts. Protoanemonin. Stated for Ranunculus spp.Plants Poisonous to Livestock
Toxicity
Medium severity. Leaves, Roots, Sap/Juice, Stems. Ranunculin.Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

The plant

Habit
Herbaceous PerennialExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Habit
perennialPlants of the World Online
Flower
Gold/YellowExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Blooms
SpringExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Native range
Albania, Aleutian Is., Altay, Amur, Austria, Baltic States and elsewhereGBIF Backbone Taxonomy
Hardiness zones
4-10Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Growing conditions

Soil
Clay, High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt), SandExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Moisture
MoistExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — NC State Extension; Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility; Plants Poisonous to Livestock — Cornell University Department of Animal Science.

Worth knowing

  • Its juice is semi-poisonous to livestock and causes blistering. Its abundance is said to show how old and undisturbed a grassland is. Wikipedia: Ranunculus acris

This source reports 4 treatments. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around October 5, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on October 4, 2026.

  1. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

    Deno gives no length for this period; three months is his standard cycle.

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

    3% here. Deno gives no length for this period; three months is his standard cycle.

  3. Warm moist stratification

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C

    93%, in 2-3 days.

about 6 months from start to step 3. Germination happens during step 3, in 3 days.

93% germination in 2–3 days.

Almost everything, two or three days after the second move to 70.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, RanunculusPublic domain
Show the original text
Ranunculus (Ranunculaceae). Germination was remarkably varied A. acris germ. largely in a 40-70 pattern. Fresh seed germ. 70-40(3%)-70(93% in 2-3 d) and 40-70(41%)-40(3%)-70(48%)-40-70(6%). Seed DS 6 m at 70 or 40 germ. 40(21%)-70(67% in in 2-3 d). Seed DS 6 m at 70 or 40 and sown at 70 germ. over five cycles. The overall germination was 65-90%. Photoexperiments need to be tried in view of the results with A. repens.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Ranunculus. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around July 7, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on July 6, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

    Deno got the same from six months at 40.

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

    21% germinated at 40 itself. Deno gives no length for this period; three months is his standard cycle.

  3. Warm moist stratification

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C

    67%, in 2-3 days.

about 9 months from start to step 3. Germination happens during step 3, in 3 days.

67% germination in 2–3 days.

Six months dry at 70 or 40 -- either. 21% comes up cold, then 67% on the move.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, RanunculusPublic domain
Show the original text
Ranunculus (Ranunculaceae). Germination was remarkably varied A. acris germ. largely in a 40-70 pattern. Fresh seed germ. 70-40(3%)-70(93% in 2-3 d) and 40-70(41%)-40(3%)-70(48%)-40-70(6%). Seed DS 6 m at 70 or 40 germ. 40(21%)-70(67% in in 2-3 d). Seed DS 6 m at 70 or 40 and sown at 70 germ. over five cycles. The overall germination was 65-90%. Photoexperiments need to be tried in view of the results with A. repens.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Ranunculus. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 3

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around September 17, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on September 16, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C

    Germination spread over five cycles.

about 6 months from start to sowing. Germination time not stated; 21 days assumed.

65% germination.

Sown straight at 70 it dribbles out over five cycles, 65-90% in all.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, RanunculusPublic domain
Show the original text
Ranunculus (Ranunculaceae). Germination was remarkably varied A. acris germ. largely in a 40-70 pattern. Fresh seed germ. 70-40(3%)-70(93% in 2-3 d) and 40-70(41%)-40(3%)-70(48%)-40-70(6%). Seed DS 6 m at 70 or 40 germ. 40(21%)-70(67% in in 2-3 d). Seed DS 6 m at 70 or 40 and sown at 70 germ. over five cycles. The overall germination was 65-90%. Photoexperiments need to be tried in view of the results with A. repens.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Ranunculus. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 4

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around June 19, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on June 18, 2026.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

    Deno gives no length for this period; three months is his standard cycle.

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

    41% here. Deno gives no length for this period; three months is his standard cycle.

  3. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

    A further 3%. Deno gives no length for this period; three months is his standard cycle.

  4. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

    48% -- the largest flush. Deno gives no length for this period; three months is his standard cycle.

  5. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

    Deno gives no length for this period; three months is his standard cycle.

  6. Warm moist stratification

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C

    A last 6%.

Steps after step 4 run on after germination.

about 9 months from start to step 4. Germination happens during step 4; time not stated, 21 days assumed.

48% germination.

41, 3, 48 and 6 per cent across five cycles -- most of the packet, slowly.

This source doesn't state how long step 6 lasts.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, RanunculusPublic domain
Show the original text
Ranunculus (Ranunculaceae). Germination was remarkably varied A. acris germ. largely in a 40-70 pattern. Fresh seed germ. 70-40(3%)-70(93% in 2-3 d) and 40-70(41%)-40(3%)-70(48%)-40-70(6%). Seed DS 6 m at 70 or 40 germ. 40(21%)-70(67% in in 2-3 d). Seed DS 6 m at 70 or 40 and sown at 70 germ. over five cycles. The overall germination was 65-90%. Photoexperiments need to be tried in view of the results with A. repens.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Ranunculus. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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