Kidneyleaf buttercup.

At a glance

Care level

Easy

Plant type

Herbaceous biennial

Light

Partial shade to full sun

Indoor light

Medium light

Water

Every 3 to 7 days

Mature size

1 to 2 feet

Growth rate

Medium

Hardiness

USDA 3 to 8

Bloom time

Mid to late spring

Care

Keep the soil consistently moist to mimic its natural woodland habitat. Watch for wilting during dry spells, as this plant prefers steady hydration. It is quite hardy and usually thrives without much intervention in the right environment.

Watering

Keep the soil evenly moist but not waterlogged.

Feeding

Apply a balanced organic fertilizer once during the spring growth phase.

Pruning

Trim back dead foliage after the plant has finished flowering and set seed.

Repotting

Repot only if the plant becomes rootbound in a container.

Soil

Moist, rich, well-draining soil

Soil pH

6.0 to 7.5

Temperature

-25 to 30°C

Humidity

40 to 70%

Drought tolerance

Low

Lifespan

Annual or short-lived perennial

Deer and rabbits

Moderate

Safety

People

All parts of the plant contain ranunculin, which can cause skin irritation and internal distress if eaten.

Pets

This plant is toxic to cats and dogs if ingested.

Children

Keep this plant away from children as the sap is irritating and the foliage is toxic if chewed or swallowed.

Contact allergens

The sap can cause redness and blistering on sensitive skin.

Airborne allergens

Pollen may cause mild reactions in highly sensitive individuals.

Edibility

This plant is considered toxic if ingested and should not be consumed.

How to identify it

• Small yellow flowers with five petals
• Kidney shaped basal leaves
• Deeply lobed upper stem leaves
• Thin, branching stems
• Small, clustered achene fruits

Height

0.1 to 0.5m

Spread

0.1 to 0.3m

Leaves

green, deciduous

Flowers

yellow, 0.5 to 1cm

Fruit

green, brown, Summer

Problems to watch for

• Powdery mildew · A white fungal growth on leaves often caused by poor air circulation.

Growing it

Propagation

seed

When to plant

spring, autumn

Overwintering

The plant naturally dies back to the ground in late summer and survives as seeds or small basal rosettes in the soil.

In containers

It is not typically grown in containers due to its short lifespan and tendency to spread.

Plant this in areas where you want quick spring ground cover that will naturally fade away as summer heat arrives.

Grows well with

• Wild Ginger · They share similar woodland moisture and shade requirements.
• Spring Beauty · Both are ephemeral spring bloomers that thrive in similar forest floor conditions.

Similar species

• Common Buttercup · It has much larger, showier flowers than the kidney-leaf buttercup.

Science

Family

Ranunculaceae

Genus

Ranunculus

Order

Ranunculales

Class

Magnoliopsida

Native range

Widespread across North America.

Conservation

This species is widespread and not of conservation concern.

It thrives in moist, shaded woods and disturbed soils where it can quickly complete its life cycle before the canopy closes.

Value to wildlife

early season nectar source

Pollinators

bees, beetles

Uses

woodland garden filler, native plant restoration

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Is this plant a good garden choice?

It is best suited for naturalized woodland areas rather than formal flower beds.

How do I control it?

Hand pulling before it sets seed is the most effective method.

Where the name comes from

The genus name Ranunculus comes from the Latin for little frog, referring to the wet habitats many species prefer. The specific epithet abortivus highlights the reduced, almost absent petals.

Good to know

• It is commonly called the kidney-leaf buttercup because of its basal leaf shape.
• The species name abortivus refers to the small, inconspicuous petals.
• It is a common weed in many North American gardens.

Also in

• Plants toxic to cats and dogs