![]() Sepals - Narrowly egg shaped, 5-8 mm long, hairy with 2 orange calli at the tip. Pedicels may have glandular hairs.įlowers: Yellow, stalked, drooping, trumpet shaped with 5 petals that open in sunlight, follow the sun and close as light fades.īracts - parallel sided, 2-3 mm long with orange calli near the tips. When plants are growing in shade or are crowded it may be above ground.įlower stem - Up to 350 mm tall, often drooping.įlower head:Flowers on 10-20 mm long, leafless, stalks (pedicels), in clusters (umbels) of 3-16(25) on the end of erect, 150-350 mm long, succulent stalks (peduncles), emerging from the centre of the plant, with a few fine hairs. Stems:Underground rhizome which occasionally may be above ground in dense, shady infestations. Leaves fold up and droop at night and in dull situations. Few hairs on edges and underside, hairless on topside. Leaflets have a very short or no petiolule.īlade - Of leaflet, heart shaped, 8-25 mm long by 9-35 mm wide, deeply 2 lobed, green and often with dark purple or brown spots on top, lighter green underneath. Petiole - 60-150 mm long, round, broadened and jointed near the base where it attaches to the tuber. Leaves:Forms a rosette of 10-40 leaves, each with 3 leaflets that are 10-45 mm diameter overall. ![]() It has annual tops with a perennial root system with a vertical rhizome, bulbils and a bulb.įirst leaves:Trifoliate, similar to older leaves. The radiating clusters of drooping yellow, 5 petalled flowers are in clusters of 3-16 flowers on long slender stalks held well above the leaves from June to November. Summary:An almost hairless plant with long-stalked, trifoliate leaves that often have dark spots. ![]() Soursob refers to its sour taste and may be derived from soursop, a North American fruit with an acid taste. Pes-caprae is from the Latin pes meaning foot and caprae meaning goat and refers to the goat foot shape of the folding and deeply lobed leaflets. Good agronomic practices are key to a healthy, persistent forage stand and should include proper fertility and soil pH levels and grazing and mowing management, along with effective and properly timed herbicide applications.Oxalis is from the Greek oksos meaning sour and refers to the taste of the leaves and stems. Often it is a sign of over-grazing and a poor stand of desirable forage. Keep in mind, that pastures with dense populations of buttercup and other weed species in most cases are lacking proper management. Also, be aware that another weed called lesser celandine ( Ficaria verna) can exist in pastures and similar locations as buttercups and looks very similar. Most of these have a perennial lifecycle, however some can behave as a winter annual. On a side note, herbicides applied in fall (mid-September thru October) are not as optimal as a spring application but can still provide some control of buttercup.īuttercup species that are common to PA include: bulbous buttercup ( Ranunculus bulbosus), creeping buttercup ( Ranunculus repens), tall buttercup ( Ranunculus acris), and small flower buttercup ( Ranunculus arbortivus). So, be sure to consider all the tradeoffs when using this practice. However, by using this tactic, buttercup will likely only be suppressed, and clover growth can be temporarily stunted. If you are concerned about keeping white clover in the mix, 2,4-D (1 pint) could be used. Keep in mind, these treatments will severely injure or kill any legumes in your stand. When spraying in the spring make sure the air temperatures are at least 50F or more for a few consecutive days for effective control. Spraying when buttercup is flowering usually does not provide effective control. Since herbicide spray coverage is important, it is best to use higher spray volumes (at least 15 gallons/acre, but 20 gpa or more would be better) to allow the application do get into the sward and onto the weeds. Herbicides such as 2,4-D (2-3 pints/acre), 2,4-D (1 quart) + dicamba (1 pint), metsulfuron/MSM (0.2-0.3 oz), or Crossbow (2-3 quarts) are commonly used to control buttercup. The use of herbicides during early spring (Mid-March thru April) is the most effective time to control buttercup populations. Routine mowing can also occur during the rest of the growing season to thwart weed seed production and encourage pasture growth, but a well-timed herbicide application is important for best control.Īs for the best time to spray herbicides - the short answer is early spring. Mowing fields as low as possible during the early spring before they start to flower can help reduce seed production. A combination of mowing and herbicides will provide the best management of buttercup species. Do not wait until the pasture is "yellow" with buttercup flowers (as pictured above) to spray. ![]() However, this should not be considered a badge of honor. Pastures that are yellow because of buttercup infestations are a common sight during spring.
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