Everything You Need To Know About Buttercups And How To Control Them

There are many different types of buttercup plants in the Ranunculus genus. There are perennials, annuals, biennials, and even aquatic and rock garden plants. However, the buttercups that we know in the South are often found in meadows and are thought of as weeds. They frequently appear in the lawn, spread rapidly, and smother other plants. 

These buttercups have simple, yellow flowers with five to 10 petals. They are especially bright and glossy. This is because the petals curve inward and are constructed in such a way that they reflect light onto the flower center, thus increasing the heat. This warms the stamens (which produce the pollen), boosts their growth, and increases the chance of fertilization. Also, this warmth attracts the pollinators. Buttercups are considered a source of food for bees and hummingbirds.

This reflection is why children like to hold a buttercup flower under their chin. If the reflection on their chins is yellow, it is supposed to mean they like butter. Despite this charming backstory, buttercups can be a pest in the garden or lawn. We'll tell you all you need to know about identifying and managing buttercups.

Reasons You Don't Want Buttercups In The Garden

Ironically, all buttercups are considered poisonous and may cause dermatitis, or skin irritation. This is another reason why buttercups in pastures and lawns are considered undesirable. Normally buttercups are too bitter for livestock but if food is in short supply, livestock may eat them, producing blisters on lips and mouths. On the plus side, poisonous compounds make buttercups deer- and rabbit-resistant, but some may also be invasive or outcompete your lawn.

Types Of Buttercups That Grow Wild

There are some ornamental buttercups, like fair maids of France, Canary buttercup, grass-leaved buttercup, Mount Cook buttercup, and Persian buttercup that are sold commercially and not considered invasive in the South. Instead, we're focusing on a few species that are commonly found in the wild or invading your lawn. Some are native plants you might choose to leave alone in naturalized areas, while others were introduced from other countries and can be invasive. There are many plants that look similar to buttercups, so it's a good idea to be familiar with what you're growing before you consider removing them.

Meadow/Tall Buttercup

Meadow or tall buttercup (R. acris) is a European perennial often found blooming in meadows and pastures in the spring. The leaves are palmate, with three to five lobes that are also deeply divided. The branched clusters of flowers can shoot up as much as 2 feet, making the plants 3 feet or taller when in bloom in May through July. This buttercup has five yellow petals.

Littleleaf Buttercup

Littleleaf buttercup (R. abortivus), also called kidney-leaf buttercup, is a native plant that grows in low areas such as woods, floodplains, and damp areas. The plants have long stems 1 or 2 feet tall topped with five-petaled yellow flowers with a bulbous center. The lower leaves have lobes that are rounder or kidney-shaped, while the upper leaves are long, narrow, and may have lobes. Plants bloom in spring to early summer and are biennial or a short-lived perennial.

Bulbous Buttercup

Bulbous buttercup (R. bulbosus) or St. Anthony’s turnip is a non-native perennial that can be identified by bulb-like swellings at the base of the hairy stems. Otherwise, it has the typical five-petaled, shiny yellow flowers and green, three-lobed foliage. Plants bloom in spring and early summer and can be found in pastures, hay fields, and sometimes lawns.

Carolina Buttercup  

The native Carolina buttercup (R. carolinianus) has small, five-petaled, sometimes shiny yellow flowers and grows in damp woods and thickets. The lobed, trifoliate leaves can look somewhat like flat-leaf parsley. This plant may get lumped in with bristly buttercup (R. hispidus). The plant's stalks can be very hairy and up to a foot tall. Carolina buttercup blooms spring to summer. It's considered a winter annual weed but has value to pollinators and birds in its natural environment.

Creeping Buttercup  

Creeping buttercup (R. repens) is an introduced perennial that forms mats in thin lawns and wet soils. The plant is stoloniferous, which means it spreads by runners and can be invasive, especially in moist conditions. Creeping buttercup has three-lobed, serrated foliage and yellow flowers with five to seven petals.

Hairy Buttercup

Hairy buttercup (R. sardous) often outcompetes the lawn, especially in moist areas in the shade. Originally from Europe and North Africa, the plants have deeply lobed trifoliate leaves, hairy foliage, and five-petaled, glossy yellow flowers that appear at the end of tall stalks. The hairy foliage helps distinguish this plant from similar buttercups. This annual typically germinates in winter and blooms in late spring and is very common in pastures and disturbed areas.

Cursed Buttercup

Cursed buttercup (R. sceleratus) is a native perennial that grows to about 2 feet tall and is found in marshes, ditches, and stream banks. The plants have long leaves that are not as deeply lobed. Usually, five-petaled, yellow petals surround a bulbous green center. Plants can grow in poorly drained fields. The foliage is considered very toxic.

Controlling Buttercups

There are a few approaches to controlling buttercups in the lawn or garden. First, reduce opportunities for buttercups to invade by maintaining a healthy, thick lawn. If you have too much shade or moisture, try planting alternatives to grass that are better adapted to the site.

When removing buttercups, they should be pulled before they have a chance to seed (make sure to wear long sleeves and gloves to protect your skin). If you don't have time to get to it right away, mow off the flowers and then return to weed later if you can. Mowing before the plants seed can help to control the population but isn't likely to eliminate it.

Glyphosate (Roundup) can be used on actively growing plants, but you have to be careful to protect other plants from the spray so you don't damage them or the lawn. You can use a post-emergent broadleaf herbicide that is designed for weedy lawns. Herbicides are usually more effective in late winter when plants are small.

If buttercups have invaded your lawn or garden for some time, more will continue to pop up because of the seed bank. Monitor the area closely and expect to spend a couple of years or more working to eliminate them.