Ranunculus chinensis

Bunge

Hui hui suan

RanunculaceaeLeavesPotential hazards — see below

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(c) Chuangzao, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Chuangzao

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(c) Allen Chen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

What to Eat

Edible parts: Leaves

Young leaves should be boiled before eating. Some caution is advised regarding toxicity.

Known Hazards

Where to Find It

It is a subtropical plant. It grows by streams and wet grassy places. It grows up to 3,000 m above sea level in China.

Asia, Bhutan, Central Asia, China, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Laos, Mongolia, Russia, SE Asia, Siberia, Thailand, Tibet,

Countries: United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Brunei, Bhutan, China, Georgia, Indonesia, Israel, India, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Cambodia, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mongolia, Maldives, Malaysia, Nepal, Oman, Philippines, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Syria, Thailand, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Taiwan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen

How to Identify

A herb. It grows 60 cm tall. It can grow for one or more years. The stems are 10-50 cm long. There are several leaves at the base. The leaf stalks are 4-20 cm long. The leaves have 3 leaflets and are oval and 4-8 cm long by 4-10 cm wide. The central leaflet has lobes.

How to Grow

We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it should succeed outdoors in many parts of this country. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. Prefers a moist loamy soil. A greedy plant, inhibiting the growth of nearby plants, especially legumes.

Propagation: Sow seed in spring in a cold frame. Prick seedlings into individual pots when large enough to handle and plant out in summer. Division in spring is straightforward; larger divisions can be planted directly into their permanent positions. Smaller divisions are better potted up and grown on in light shade in a cold frame until well established before planting out in late spring or early summer.

Medicinal Uses

None known

Other Uses

None known Special Uses

Wikipedia

A perennial buttercup reaching 0.6 m tall with hermaphroditic flowers blooming April to September, pollinated by insects. Adapts to light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils across mildly acidic to basic pH ranges. Tolerates semi-shade or full sun and thrives in moist or wet conditions.

Notes

There are about 400 Ranunculus species.

References (3)

Enum. pl. China bor. 3. 1833 (Mem. Acad. Imp. Sci. St.-Petersbourg Divers Savans 2:77. 1835)
Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
Urgamal, M., Oyuntsetseg, B., Nyambayar, D. & Dulamsuren, Ch. 2014. Conspectus of the vascular plants of Mongolia. (Editors: Sanchir, Ch. & Jamsran, Ts.). Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. “Admon“ Press. 334pp. (p. 79-90).