Greater Creeping Spearwort
Ranunculus flammula
- Native to:
- Albania, Algeria, Austria, Azores, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Corse, Czechia-Slovakia, Denmark, Finland, Føroyar, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Labrador, Madeira, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, NW. Balkan Pen., Poland, Portugal, Prince Edward I., Romania, Russia, Sardegna, Sicilia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Transcaucasus, Türkiye, Ukraine, United States
Christian Fischer
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Ranunculaceae
- Genus:
- Ranunculus
- Species:
- Ranunculus flammula
- USDA Symbol:
- RAFL2
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Geophyte
- Height:
- 50 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- waterfowl
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- moist, nutrient-rich, clay or loam
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- Commonly found in wetlands and marshes
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–90 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–60 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate best with cold stratification and exposure to light. Germination can be erratic.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Cold-moist stratification for 30 days at 1–5°C (34–41°F).
Source: Claude AI