Ranunculus acris - Meadow Buttercup

The Buttercup, in Latin Ranunculus acris, also known as the Meadow Buttercup, is a well-known perennial plant among meadow walkers, which floods meadows from late spring to the end of summer with a multitude of small flowers in an unmistakable yellow. Very easy to grow, to the point of sometimes taking a bit too much liberty, the buttercup has its rightful place in a natural short grass meadow, with grape hyacinths or on the edge of woodlands with forget-me-nots and bluebells. It thrives in almost all exposures, in fertile and moist soils, even clayey ones.

The Ranunculus acris, also known as Tall buttercup or Butterflower, belongs to the buttercup family. This species is native to Europe and Asia Minor, introduced in many regions of the world. It is a charming perennial with tuberous roots arranged in bundles, whose above-ground vegetation dies in winter and regrows in spring. With rapid growth, the plant forms a clump of 30 to 90 cm (12 to 35in) in height that spreads about 50 cm (20in). Flowering takes place from May-June to September, in the form of 5-petal flowers that form a cup 2-3 cm (1in) in diameter. They are carried by hairy, upright and branched stems. This flowering is nectariferous. It is followed by the formation of fruits with a beak called achenes, containing seeds that self-sow. The plant's leaves are either basal, arranged in a rosette, or cauline, attached to the stems. They are a vivid green, deeply incised into lobes, with toothed edges. The lamina is often stained red at the base.

Very easy to grow in ordinary soil, the buttercup has excellent hardiness (-20°C (-4°F)). It clearly prefers moist or even marshy soils, but also adapts easily to any good soil that is not too dry.  Plant this buttercup in the short grass meadow or in a large country-style border, alongside cornflowers, hyssops, borage, or blue forget-me-nots, with their complementary colours. It is also a good perennial for moist banks, even in partial shade, next to Chocolate Wings Rodgersias or Brunette Actaea simplex with purple foliage.