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Meadow Buttercup

Meadow Buttercup

Ranunculus acris

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How common: Very common

Meadow Buttercup is a bright yellow wildflower of fields and meadows, often seen along roadsides and in lawns. It grows upright with many glossy-petalled blooms in summer. It is widespread in Europe and parts of Asia, and has spread to North America. Note: poisonous.

Did you know?

  • A very variable species with several subspecies.
  • It has spread with people to North America.

About the species

Identification

An upright, long-lived plant about 30–50 cm tall (sometimes shorter or up to 1 m). Stems branch above the middle. The lowest leaves have stalks and are split into 3–5 broad parts that are further cut and toothed; upper leaves are smaller, in three pieces, with smoother or big uneven teeth. Flowers sit singly at stem tips, with five glossy, golden-yellow petals and five small green outer parts that usually press against the petals. The flower stalks are smooth. It makes small hard seeds with a short curved tip. No creeping runners (unlike Creeping Buttercup); no swollen base and outer green parts not bent sharply down (unlike Bulbous Buttercup). Flowers in Finland from June to September.

Plant group

Herbaceous plants

Habitat

meadow

Toxicity

A poisonous plant – do not taste it. Source: HUS Poison Information Centre (Finland), tel. 0800 147 111.

Flowering

Jun–Sep

About the habitat

Grows in meadows, field edges, roadsides and yards, and also in light woods and rich woodland edges; found on moist to moderately moist ground, including riverbanks. Common throughout the country.

Sources

Photo: W.carter, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Smörblommor.jpg

Text: Pinkka: Verso- ja leviäintunnistus - Kaikki versot, CC BY 4.0 https://laji.fi/taxon/MX.37897

Text: Pinkka: BIO-503 Suomen kasvisto ja kasvillisuus - Sisävedet: rantaniityt, CC BY 4.0 https://laji.fi/taxon/MX.37897

Text: Pinkka: Kasvitieteen retkeily Ahvenanmaalle - Nåtö ja Västerskog, CC BY 4.0 https://laji.fi/taxon/MX.37897

Text: Wikipedia (Finnish), CC BY-SA 4.0 https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niittyleinikki

See also