Meadow Buttercup
Ranunculus acris
Also listed as Ranunculastrum acre
Also known as Tall Buttercup, Tall Crowfoot, Tall Field Buttercup
Climate Match for your location
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A cheerful meadow wildflower with glossy, cup-shaped yellow flowers that bloom in late spring through summer. It thrives in moist grasslands and meadows, spreading via self-seeding.
Why grow it
Meadow buttercup offers reliable, long-season flowering in wet grassland settings where many ornamental perennials struggle. Compared to creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens), it grows more upright and is less aggressively stoloniferous, making it easier to manage in intentional plantings. It requires minimal inputs once established in appropriate moisture conditions and provides consistent nectar and pollen for pollinators throughout its bloom window.
Watch out for
In cultivated settings, meadow buttercup can reseed prolifically if allowed to mature seed heads unchecked, potentially dominating smaller garden spaces. Dense stands may exclude slower-growing companion plants, so interplanting with vigorous perennials or managing seed production helps maintain diversity.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Ranunculaceae
Native Range
Central and Eastern Europe
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
A cheerful meadow wildflower with glossy, cup-shaped yellow flowers that bloom in late spring through summer. It thrives in moist grasslands and meadows, spreading via self-seeding.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Meadow Buttercup grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Meadow buttercup offers reliable, long-season flowering in wet grassland settings where many ornamental perennials struggle. Compared to creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens), it grows more upright and is less aggressively stoloniferous, making it easier to manage in intentional plantings. It requires minimal inputs once established in appropriate moisture conditions and provides consistent nectar and pollen for pollinators throughout its bloom window.
Watch out for
In cultivated settings, meadow buttercup can reseed prolifically if allowed to mature seed heads unchecked, potentially dominating smaller garden spaces. Dense stands may exclude slower-growing companion plants, so interplanting with vigorous perennials or managing seed production helps maintain diversity.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Ranunculaceae
Native Range
Central and Eastern Europe
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
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