Is it a good garden plant?

It is generally avoided in formal gardens due to its invasive, creeping habit.

Regular digging to remove the rooting stolons is the most effective way to manage it.

Plant guide

Creeping buttercup.

Ranunculus repens

Pronounced ra-NUN-kew-lus REE-penz

Also known as Creeping Buttercup, Double-flowered Creeping Buttercup

The creeping buttercup is a hardy perennial that spreads quickly through above-ground runners that root at the nodes. It is often found in damp meadows or gardens where it can form dense mats. You will love its bright yellow flowers that pop up in the spring and summer.

Another photo of Creeping buttercup — Photo by Karen Fry (CC BY) via gbif

At a glance

Care level: Easy
Plant type: Perennial
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Indoor light: Bright indirect
Water: Every 2 to 4 days
Mature size: 12 to 24 inches
Growth rate: Fast
Hardiness: USDA 4 to 9
Bloom time: Late spring to mid summer

Care

Keep the soil consistently moist to mimic its natural damp habitat. Watch for the plant spreading into areas where you do not want it, as it can become quite invasive. If the leaves start to yellow, it might be getting too much direct sun or drying out.

Watering: Keep the soil damp at all times.
Feeding: Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer during the active growing season.
Pruning: Trim back runners to control its spread throughout the growing season.
Repotting: Repot when the plant becomes root bound or if you need to divide it to manage its size.
Soil: Moist, heavy, or clay soils
Soil pH: 6.0 to 7.5
Temperature: -30 to 30°C
Humidity: 40 to 80%

Safety

People: All parts of the plant contain protoanemonin which is toxic when eaten and irritating to the skin.
Pets: This plant is toxic to cats and dogs if ingested.
Children: Keep children away from this plant as the sap is a known skin irritant and the foliage is toxic if chewed.
Contact allergens: The sap can cause blistering or dermatitis on sensitive skin.
Airborne allergens: Pollen may cause mild reactions in sensitive individuals.
Edibility: This plant is toxic if ingested and can cause skin irritation upon contact.

How to identify it

Glossy bright yellow flowers
Deeply divided three lobed leaves
Spreading stems that root at nodes
Hairy stems and leaf stalks

Height: 0.1 to 0.3m
Spread: 0.3 to 1m
Leaves: green, deciduous
Flowers: yellow, 2 to 3cm

Problems to watch for

Powdery MildewCommon
Slugs and SnailsCommon
AphidsUncommon
Root RotUncommon

By symptom

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Growing it

Propagation: division, seed, stolons
When to plant: spring, autumn

Only plant this in areas where you want a vigorous ground cover, as it will quickly outcompete smaller, less aggressive neighbors.

Grows well with

Marsh Marigold · They both thrive in the same wet soil conditions.
Forget-me-not · It shares a preference for moist, shady spots.

Similar species

Bulbous Buttercup · It has a similar flower but grows from a corm rather than stolons.

Science

Family: Ranunculaceae
Genus: Ranunculus
Order: Ranunculales
Class: Magnoliopsida
Native range: Europe, western Asia, and northwestern Africa.
Conservation: This plant is considered a common weed in many regions and is not of conservation concern.

It colonizes damp, disturbed ground by sending out long, rooting stems that form dense mats.

Value to wildlife: nectar source
Pollinators: bees, butterflies, beetles
Uses: ground cover, wildflower meadow

Through the year

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Flowering

Fruiting

Foliage

Ecological indicators

Salinity: 1/9
Soil reaction: 5/9
Light: 6/9
Temperature: 5/9
Moisture: 7/9
Nutrients: 6/9

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Is it a good garden plant?: It is generally avoided in formal gardens due to its invasive, creeping habit.
How do I control it?: Regular digging to remove the rooting stolons is the most effective way to manage it.

Where the name comes from

Ranunculus comes from the Latin for little frog, referring to the damp habitats many species prefer. Repens refers to its creeping growth habit.

Good to know

The name repens means creeping in Latin.
It thrives in heavy, poorly drained soils where other plants struggle.
It is often considered a troublesome weed in lawns.

Also in

Plants toxic to cats and dogs

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This guide was generated with AI on September 26, 2026 and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.