If you wander through wild meadows in late spring, you will probably come across the buttercup often. This perennial plant is known to many people. But what do you actually know about this flower? Here you can refresh your knowledge!
What does the buttercup profile look like?
The buttercup belongs to the buttercup family and is widespread in Europe and Asia. It grows in meadows, pastures and roadsides and reaches a height of 20 to 100 cm. The flowering period is from May to July, with the characteristic golden yellow flowers appearing.
The buttercup – clearly laid out in short form
- Plant family: Buttercup family
- Natural range: Europe to Asia
- Occurrence: pastures, meadows, roadsides, forest edges, bushes
- Growth: 20 to 100 cm high, upright, herbaceous
- Leaves: palmate, three to five-parted
- Flowering period: May to July
- Flowers: fivefold, hermaphroditic, golden yellow
- Fruits: single-seeded nuts
- Location: sunny to partially shaded
- Soil: calcareous, nutrient-rich, moist
- Special features: poisonous
A pungent taste indicates toxins
The buttercup is poisonous in all its parts. Do not confuse this buttercup with the dandelion, which is also called buttercup depending on the region because of its buttery yellow flowers. The dandelion also contains a milky sap. But his is not poisonous.
Another name for the buttercup is sharp buttercup. Like all buttercup plants, the buttercup has various toxins, most of which are found in its stems and roots. The poison called protoanemonin, which has a sharp taste, stands out strongly.
How to recognize her
Long fibrous roots grow up to 50 cm long in the ground. Strongly branched stems emerge from them and can reach a height of between 20 and 100 cm. The upright stems have palmate basal leaves at the bottom and smaller stem leaves at the top. The leaves have three to five parts and are green.
The buttercup flowers appear between May and July. These are five-fold, hermaphrodite and radially symmetrical flowers. Sometimes they can be seen until September. The flowers, which are made up of five obovate petals, are between 2 and 3 cm wide and are borne individually on loose panicles.
The flower shape is rounded, flat and wide open. A bright golden yellow is characteristic of them. It has a greasy shine. The flowers develop into fruits between July and October. They are single-seeded nuts that are flat and inconspicuous.
Tip
There are also double-flowering varieties on the market that have a particularly high ornamental value.
