Rhinanthus minor - Yellow Rattle

Family:	Scrophulariaceae
Habit:	Annual
Height:	0.5
Synonyms:
Range:	Europe, including Britain, from Iceland south and east to Spain, W. Siberia and the Caucasus.

Rhinanthus minor (Yellow Rattle) is a Annual which grows to a height of 0.5m . It has a hardness rating of 6.
Yellow Rattle will flower in November to February. the seeds ripen from January to March
The flowers from this plant are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by Bees, self

Soil Information

Yellow Rattle will grow in light (sandy),medium (loamy),hard (clay) soil. It is not necessary for the soil to be well drained.
The soil prefers the following PH / acid levels :
- pH of less than 6, Acidic soils
- pH between 6 and 8, Neutral soils
- pH greater than 8, Basic soils
Yellow Rattle prefers moist soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Yellow Rattle should not be planted in shady areas.

Grassland[17]. There are various sub-species that grow on basic or calcareous soils[17].

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Suits a meadow

Cultivation Details

A semi-parasitic plant of grass, it can be grown in a meadow[200].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 0/5
None known

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 1/5
The plant is ophthalmic[100, 172].

• Ophthalmic - Treats eye complaints.

Propagation

Seed - we have no information on this species but suggest either sowing the seed in situ in a lawn or meadow or, if seed is in short supply, sowing it in a pot of turf in a cold frame. It is probably best to sow as soon as the seed is ripe but a spring sowing can also be tried.

Known Hazards

This plant might be poisonous to livestock[200].

Other Uses

A bright yellow dye is obtained from the leaves[100].

• Dye - Plants that provide dyes.

Cultivars

no recorded cultivars

References

Flora of the British Isles.
Clapham, Tootin and Warburg.
Author: Clapham, Tootin and Warburg.
Rating:
Publisher : A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
Date of Publication : 1962

The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Huxley. A.
Author: Huxley. A.
Rating:
Publisher : Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Date of Publication : 1992

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