Giant buttercup (Taranaki RPMP Species )

Giant buttercup

Ranunculus acris

Key Characteristics ⁵

Perennial, reaching up to 1 m tall
Yellow glossy flowers 15 – 25 mm across with 5 petals appearing mainly between November and April
A short rhizome (horizontal underground stem up to about 100 mm long) with fibrous remains of old leaves, axillary buds and fleshy roots
Leaves highly variable in size (can be as big as an outstretched hand), hairy, three primary lobes, highly variable lobe dissection, long hairy petioles
Genetically highly diverse species complex with up to 6 different chloroplast cytotypes from Europe coexisting in New Zealand dairy pastures
Avoided by dairy cattle due to bitter taste
The species is common in swamp and wasteland areas, river flats and dairy pastures in high-rainfall areas.

Sourced from the AgPest Website

RPMP Summary ⁵

Giant buttercup is a rhizomatous perennial plant with deeply segmented leaves. From early summer the plant has yellow flowers on branched stems up to a metre tall. Giant buttercup is very free seeding, with the hooked seeds being spread by water, animals and in silage and hay. The plant’s preferred habitat is in pasture and along roadsides, particularly in areas with high rainfall. Sheep will eat giant buttercup, however the plant is seasonably unpalatable to cattle so infestations of giant buttercup can quickly overwhelm other pasture species in dairying areas thereby reducing pasture and dairy production. Once established in pasture, the plant can be costly and difficult to control.

RPMP Objectives ⁵

Principal measures to achieve objective
To achieve the objective for Giant buttercup, the following principal measures will be applied:

Requirement to act
Land occupiers will comply with the rules specified in this section of the Plan

Inspection and monitoring
Taranaki Regional Council will inspect and monitor properties with suspected or confirmed infestations of Giant buttercup to establish the extent of any boundary infestations and to identify any remedial action that needs to be undertaken.

Advocacy and education
Taranaki Regional Council will–

Provide advice and information to land occupiers to promote effective control;
Provide a broad suite of general purpose education, advice, awareness and publicity activities to other interested parties to prevent spread of Giant buttercup; and
Undertake liaison and advocacy to promote effective integrated pest management

Plan rules requiring land occupier and other persons to act Good Neighbor Rule
6.7.3.1. A land occupier within the Taranaki region must destroy all Giant buttercup present on their land within five (5) metres of their property boundary

to protect adjacent dairy and beef production values; AND
where an adjacent land occupier is managing Giant buttercup within five (5) metres of their property boundary.

Contravention of these rules creates an offence under section 154(N)(19) of the Act.

Sources and Credits

More Info

iNat Map

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Giant buttercup

Key Characteristics 5

RPMP Summary 5

RPMP Objectives 5