![]() ![]() Monitor the site frequently for regrowth. Be sure to get the roots and then step down any loose soil. Wear gloves to protect your fingers and hands. Pull, hoe, or dig the entire plant out of the ground and bag it to keep flowers and seeds out of the soil. A small population of 9 square feet in one year can grow to 50 square feet in the second year, and to hundreds of square feet in the third year.Ĭontrol strategies: First and foremost, never let the plants flower or go to seed. Plants spread very quickly and develop very dense populations, preventing the germination and development of native seeds. Weedy characteristics: It takes about three weeks for a plant to germinate and go to seed, and a single plant can produce seeds twice in a season. Infestations along roadways can be found in Coconino, Apache, Maricopa, Mohave, and Yavapai counties. It thrives in dry overgrazed pastures, fields, gardens, roadsides, and waste areas in the western United States at elevations ranging from 4000 to 7500 feet. Where it grows: Bur buttercup often grows in colonies or very dense mats that cover large areas of ground. Roots: Small, fine, with a fairly shallow root system and a taproot. They are dispersed by wind, water, animals, and human activities. Seeds are contained in burs that have two tiny sacks at their base, which is the reason the species is called "testiculata." Seeds are produced twice in a single season. It takes only about three weeks for a plant to germinate and go to seed. When dry, seeds turn green to brownish gray. The burs are very prickly to hands and feet. Seeds: Seeds are contained within a bur (the fruit), which is ½ to ¾ inches long. Leaves have fine, webby hairs.įlowers: Single flower with 5 small, solitary, bright yellow petals at the top of the stem, about ¼” across, blossoming March through May or June Deeply divided into two or three finger-like segments that may resemble a bird’s foot. Leaves: Grayish green at the base of stem, 1 to 4 or 5 inches long. Plants grow in small patches or in dense carpets Its populations can quickly become so large that eradication is difficult, if not impossible.īotanical description: : Low-growing forb with small, yellow flowers. Its range is spreading rapidly in arid and semiarid areas, including Flagstaff and throughout northern Arizona. When dried out, it poses a serious fire risk to communities and the environment. If the plants are near a roadside, the seeds can be spread far and wide by the tires of cars and bicycles. When crushed and eaten, it is highly toxic to animals, including horses. It can produce two seed crops in one year. ![]() It uses water that would otherwise be available to native species. It spreads rapidly, reducing plant diversity and wildlife habitat. ![]() Reasons for concern: This plant is extremely aggressive. Scientific name: Ranunculus testiculatus, or Ceratocephala testiculara Common name(s): Bur buttercup, curveseed butterwort, hornseed buttercup ![]()
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