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Creeping Buttercup Wikimedia Commons
Ranunculaceae

Creeping Buttercup

Ranunculus repens

Childhood innocence.

Family
Ranunculaceae
Genus
Ranunculus
Native to
Europe, Western Asia, North Africa
Bloom season
Spring, Summer
Type
Perennial
Height
15-50 cm
Sunlight
Full sun to partial shade
Soil
Moist, heavy clay to loamy
Water
Moderate to high
Hardiness
3-9
Lifespan
Perennial

Did you know

  • The childhood game of holding a buttercup under your chin to see if you like butter works because the petals reflect UV light.
  • Creeping buttercup spreads aggressively via stolons, making it one of the most persistent lawn weeds.
  • The glossy sheen on buttercup petals comes from a unique two-layered structure that reflects light like a mirror.
  • All parts of the plant are mildly toxic to livestock due to the compound protoanemonin.
  • A single plant can produce over 100,000 seeds and spread across several square meters in one season.

Color meanings

0

Cheerfulness

1

Youthful joy

2

Humility

Uses

  • Traditional folk games
  • Meadow wildflowers
  • Ecological studies