In this paper, we study the Cauchy problem for the semilinear heat and Schrödinger equations, with the nonlinear term   $f(u)=\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}|u|^{\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}}u$ . We show that low regularity of
 $f(u)=\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}|u|^{\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}}u$ . We show that low regularity of   $f$  (i.e.,
 $f$  (i.e.,   $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}>0$  but small) limits the regularity of any possible solution for a certain class of smooth initial data. We employ two different methods, which yield two different types of results. On the one hand, we consider the semilinear equation as a perturbation of the ODE
 $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}>0$  but small) limits the regularity of any possible solution for a certain class of smooth initial data. We employ two different methods, which yield two different types of results. On the one hand, we consider the semilinear equation as a perturbation of the ODE   $w_{t}=f(w)$ . This yields, in particular, an optimal regularity result for the semilinear heat equation in Hölder spaces. In addition, this approach yields ill-posedness results for the nonlinear Schrödinger equation in certain
 $w_{t}=f(w)$ . This yields, in particular, an optimal regularity result for the semilinear heat equation in Hölder spaces. In addition, this approach yields ill-posedness results for the nonlinear Schrödinger equation in certain   $H^{s}$ -spaces, which depend on the smallness of
 $H^{s}$ -spaces, which depend on the smallness of   $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}$  rather than the scaling properties of the equation. Our second method is to consider the semilinear equation as a perturbation of the linear equation via Duhamel’s formula. This yields, in particular, that if
 $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}$  rather than the scaling properties of the equation. Our second method is to consider the semilinear equation as a perturbation of the linear equation via Duhamel’s formula. This yields, in particular, that if   $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}$  is sufficiently small and
 $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}$  is sufficiently small and   $N$  is sufficiently large, then the nonlinear heat equation is ill-posed in
 $N$  is sufficiently large, then the nonlinear heat equation is ill-posed in   $H^{s}(\mathbb{R}^{N})$  for all
 $H^{s}(\mathbb{R}^{N})$  for all   $s\geqslant 0$ .
 $s\geqslant 0$ .