Ranunculus Species, Creeping Buttercup, Creeping Crowfoot, Meadow Buttercup, Spot-Leaved Crowfoot

On Jul 27, 2020, edvac from Snohomish, WA wrote:

From the Pacific Northwest area of Washington state we have this to say about Buttercups:
About 30 years ago we got some compost from a nearby farm. A few buttercups came up. We thought they were pretty. Within a year they were all over. They have been with us ever since. They are horrid plants.
We have since found out this plant is horrifically invasive. It is impossible to remove. The only option is control. Yes, the flowers are pretty. But the leaves are mildly poison, and the plant will totally destroy a garden of far more beautiful non-invasive flowers. Also, this plant will destroy a vegetable garden. Its roots entwine with the veggies roots and choke them out. This plant should never, ever be sold anywhere. Once it gets started, you will probably never get it out.

On May 4, 2018, elliza from Portland, OR wrote:

A horrorshow. It got fully embedded into my small front grass space, and partially embedded in the back small grass space. The damage was so bad I ended up pulling everything I could, tilling and amending the soil, then completely reseeding the grass. The year after I did a modified version of this.

Creeping ranunculus has a deeply embedded central stalk that sends out multiple, flat to the ground leaves and underground tendrils which form new plants. In very little time it will kill everything else and form a thin mat of plant over the sea of mud and clay underneath. I pull it up wherever I see it, and about half the time must dig as well to get out the roots.

In my yard, the flower isn't very attractive and the plant just gets thin and choking, not lush... read more, so it only turns the lawn to a clay mess.

On Jul 26, 2013, splaash from Aurora, CO wrote:

INVASIVE! I was hoping the 'buttered popcorn' would not be. I put wide edging (above and below the ground) around the plants and it still escaped and moved into other ground covers in the vicinity. Very difficult to eradicate.

On Apr 10, 2009, giftgas from Everson, WA (Zone 7b) wrote:

My dad actually took some of this from a walk in the woods, and put it in his yard. It's been a year now, and he's still happy with the outcome...no more garlic mustard...and yet, I can't remember the last time I saw his lawn, or even dirt for that matter - all that I see are nice little yellow flowers.

On May 20, 2006, renwings from Sultan, WA (Zone 8a) wrote:

This bugger is awfull here. It grows so thickly that it even chokes out the lawn. It is very difficult to pull too, I think I'd rather pull dandelions. The root holds on with a death grip and it will come back with a vengance if you leave part of the root in the ground. It is pretty in its own way, but makes me want to cry when I find a large patch of it in the flower bed.

On May 22, 2005, coastgarden from Bay Center, WA (Zone 5a) wrote:

Pacific Northwest here, coastal. Not knowing what this plant was, I have 'fought' with it for 3 years now. I call it a weed and spend enormous amount of time digging it out of everywhere it chooses to volunteer throughout my yard and garden. While the little yellow blooms are attractive, it's way of spreading underground and sending up new shoots that develop into plants makes it most unwelcome for my tastes.

It seems to grow of it's own accord, as I didn't plant it. I'm surprised to learn it is of the ranunculus family. We have moisture here, coastal area on the bay, and my yard stays moist and wet for the most part so this buttercup grows where it wants, creeps rapidly and pops up in places that have vulnerable other deliberate plants.

Not to be ... read moretotally down on the creeping buttercup, but unless you have lots of acerage and want a totally wildlife kind of look, I sure wouldn't recommend what I call this weed in my yard, garden and flower beds. It doesn't dig up easily either; thus my ongoing 'fight' with this plant.

On Aug 5, 2004, xyris from Sebring, FL (Zone 9b) wrote:

This is also a common weed in the Pacific Northwest, where it spreads through large areas of our wet lawn in winter, and creeps both under and over edging into garden beds. One has to be vigilant to dig it up early before more underground runners develop!

On May 17, 2002, micky_IN wrote:

I bought 2 plants in 3" pots last year and I now have about 10' of Ranunculus. It is invasive, it will grow where it wants to, when it wants to. I have tried to keep it under "control" however it seems, if I'm not at it everyday it keeps on spreading. On the good (great) side of it all, it will grow in shade, partial shade and full sun. I know because I have it in all of those conditions. The ones in full sun are about 18" now and are blooming all over. The transplanted ones are doing great but not blooming yet. I have no idea what kind of soil I have, just plain ole yard dirt I guess but, they seem to love it. The leafs are a varigated yellow/lime green right now and will get greener as time goes by. I love my Ranunculus and would recommend it to anyone wanting something that will spread ... read morefast and look very pretty next to anything. The only drawback is that it will grow everywhere. It's growing in my lawn but we just mow over it---no biggie!