How to Grow Buttercup Flowers

Growing Buttercups in Your Home Flower Garden

Growing Buttercup flowers is easy, perhaps too easy for this invasive plant. They are members of the Ranunculus genus. This is a large family consisting of about 400 species of flowers. These bright yellow, five-petaled summer bloomers, are native to Asia, Australia, Central America, North America, and Europe. Buttercups are half-hardy perennials. Some people consider this invasive plant to be nothing more than a weed. And, buttercup weeds can be difficult to control and get rid of.

Buttercup flowers look great as wildflowers, brightening up fields and hillsides. They are also at home in flower beds and rock gardens.

Child’s Play: We all will likely remember this scene… A child comes across a Buttercup flower in bloom, turns to his or her playmate, and says: “Do you like Butter?'” The buttercup flower is then placed just below the chin. If your chin glows yellow, then you do indeed like butter!

Growing Buttercups is very easy. They require little or no attention. So, if you’d like to bring back a few childhood memories, or just confirm whether you like butter, find a spot in your yard to grow these flowers.

While most of us think of Buttercups as a yellow-flowered plant, there are also orange, pink, red, and white varieties.

Buttercup Weeds

simply put if buttercup flowers are growing in places you don’t want them to grow, then they are buttercup weeds. This includes your vegetable garden, the lawn, and even place in your flowerbed where you don’t want them to be. Buttercup weed control is problematic.

There are three ways to control and eliminate Buttercup weeds. First, you can handpick them. However, that can be laborious and you need to be certain that you get all of the roots. Second, you can alter their growing environment. For example, Buttercup weeds like low, acidic soils. The trouble with this method is that it can also negatively impact other plants that you want to have in the area. Finally, you can resort to chemical controls. This is very effective and okay to use in your. But, if used in a flower garden, it can kill desirable flowers, too. And, you definitely do not want to use chemical weed controls in your vegetable garden.

Buttercup Seeds and Roots for Plant Propagation

Buttercups grow from seed or roots. The Buttercup seeds are difficult to germinate and takes weeks to sprout. Most people grow these plants from the division of the roots. Divide plants in spring or fall. Or, they can be bought at your local garden store.

Buttercups are invasive plants. Even small pieces of the roots can form a new plant. Make certain to use garden edging to keep them from spreading to other parts of your flowerbed, or into your lawn. control their spread.

How to Grow Buttercup Flower Plants

You might say that Buttercup flowers are too easy to grow.

Buttercup plants like full sun to partial shade. They need light soil that drains well. While they do not require rich soil, this will help with their growth. They also prefer cooler soil. Mulch around your plants, if grown in a sunny location.

Add a general-purpose fertilizer in the spring, and once a month afterward.

Water established plants during dry periods and droughts.

In the fall, add a layer of mulch in cold weather areas. This will help protect the roots during the winter months.

Also, See:

Plant Problems – causes and cures