# meadow buttercup (*Ranunculus acris*) Meadow buttercups are bright yellow flowers that grow in fields and meadows. They have shiny petals that look like little cups, and they bloom in the spring and summer, making the fields look cheerful! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 9 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![meadow buttercup](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Ranunculus_acris_niittyleinikki.jpg&width=800) Photo: Alinja, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ranunculus_acris_niittyleinikki.jpg) ## Appearance The meadow buttercup has bright, glossy yellow flowers, each with five distinct, overlapping petals. Its deeply lobed leaves form a basal rosette, and its stems are typically hairy. It stands out with its vibrant, waxy appearance in grassy areas. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Ranunculales - **Family:** Ranunculaceae - **Genus:** Ranunculus ## Interesting facts - Each buttercup flower can produce many tiny, single-seeded fruits called achenes, spreading widely! - Holding a buttercup under your chin was a fun game to see if you "liked butter" when you were a kid! - Its genus name, Ranunculus, means "little frog" because many buttercup species like to grow near water. - The glossy petals of buttercups can reflect sunlight, making them glow almost like tiny mirrors! ## Special abilities - **Shiny Signal:** Meadow buttercup has super glossy petals that reflect UV light, helping it attract busy pollinating insects. - **Toxic Shield:** Meadow buttercup can produce a bitter, mildly toxic chemical to protect itself from hungry animals. - **Wind Wiggler:** Meadow buttercup has flexible stems that allow it to sway in the wind without breaking in open fields. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-70 cm - **Spread:** 15-30 cm - **Flower Size:** 1.5-2.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early autumn - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Collects nectar and pollen - **Pollinates:** Common carder bee (*Bombus pascuorum*) — Visits flowers for nectar - **Pollinates:** Drone Fly (*Eristalis tenax*) — Feeds on nectar - **Eats:** Spanish slug (*Arion lusitanicus*) — Grazes on leaves and stems ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Do not eat any flowers without asking an adult, as some can be harmful. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify meadow buttercup? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is meadow buttercup? 30-70 cm ### How wide does meadow buttercup spread? 15-30 cm ### How big are the flowers on meadow buttercup? 1.5-2.5 cm ### When does meadow buttercup bloom? Late spring to early autumn ### Is meadow buttercup edible? No ### Is meadow buttercup toxic? Mild ### What is meadow buttercup's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Field Farm](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/field-farm) — Massachusetts, US · Nature Reserve - [Parc linéaire de la rivière Saint-Charles](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/parc-lin-aire-de-la-rivi-re-saint-charles) — Québec, CA · Park - [Sunrise](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sunrise) — Alaska, US · Neighborhood - [Fota Wildlife Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fota-wildlife-park) — Municipal District of Cobh, IE · Zoo - [Clear Creek State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/clear-creek-state-forest) — Pennsylvania, US · Forest - [Elm Bank Horticulture Center](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/elm-bank-horticulture-center) — Massachusetts, US · Botanical Garden [View all places to see meadow buttercup](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/meadow-buttercup) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Meadow Buttercup: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/meadow-buttercup)