Creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens 'Buttered Popcorn')

Overview

Ranunculus repens ‘Buttered Popcorn’ offers gardeners a vigorous, spreading ground cover solution, particularly valuable for filling difficult, moist areas where other plants struggle. This cultivar of creeping buttercup provides attractive, snowflake-like foliage that emerges with chartreuse and gold tones, highlighted by cheerful bright yellow flowers in the spring. While the species is notoriously weedy, Ranunculus repens ‘Buttered Popcorn’ presents a more manageable, dense coverage ideal for naturalized settings.

This herbaceous perennial spreads rapidly via stolons that root at their nodes, quickly creating a lush mat 10 inches tall that can cover significant ground. Its dense habit makes it effective for controlling erosion in damp spots, though its aggressive nature requires careful placement in manicured garden beds. Gardeners appreciate the ornamental foliage and the reliable bloom period of this attractive creeping buttercup.

Care must be taken when placing Ranunculus repens ‘Buttered Popcorn’ due to its assertive spreading habit. Ideal placement involves planned naturalized areas or pond peripheries where containment is less of a concern. When situated optimally, this plant thrives with medium moisture and tolerates everything from full sun to heavy shade.

Fast Facts

• Plant Family: Ranunculaceae
• Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
• Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 4-9
• Size at Maturity:
  • Height: 0.75-1 ft
  • Spread: 1-2 ft
• Bloom Time: April to May
• Bloom Description: Yellow
• Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
• Water Needs: Medium
• Maintenance Level: Medium

How to Grow

Plant Ranunculus repens ‘Buttered Popcorn’ in spring or fall when conditions are suitable, ensuring the soil is medium to wet. This plant thrives in organically rich soil, but it is highly adaptable. For the best leaf color, aim for full sun to part shade, as the foliage exhibits a more golden hue in brighter light, whereas shady spots promote a greener tone.

Watering should be consistent to maintain a medium moisture level, reflecting its preference for damp environments. This creeping buttercup tolerates wet soil exceptionally well, making it perfect for pond margins or perpetually moist areas. Fertilization is rarely necessary if the soil is rich; focus instead on managing its spread.

Because this plant tends to spread rapidly, especially in moist, shady conditions, regular intervention is crucial in contained garden spaces. Be prepared to cut back runners or divide the clumps to keep Ranunculus repens ‘Buttered Popcorn’ where you want it. Remarkably, it survives being mowed frequently when planted in a lawn setting, offering low maintenance there. Propagate new clumps easily through division during active growth or by collecting seeds.

Landscape Uses

Creeping buttercup, particularly the ‘Buttered Popcorn’ cultivar, excels as a ground cover for large, less formal areas of the landscape. It is an excellent choice for naturalized sections, slopes, or along pond peripheries where consistent moisture is available, outcompeting many standard lawn grasses or poor soil covers. Due to the potent spreading capacity of Ranunculus repens, caution is advised when introducing it near natural borders or mixed perennial beds where boundary control is essential.

When used intentionally in designed spaces, consider pairing it with plants that appreciate similar moist conditions but offer contrasting textures or bloom times. It serves well in utility areas or under trees where deep shade tolerance is required, though sunnier spots reward the gardener with brighter foliage. If you desire the beauty of Ranunculus repens ‘Buttered Popcorn’ without the hyper-aggressive invasiveness of the wild type, this cultivar is a reported step toward greater manageability.

Standout Features

Flower Qualities

• Showy

Noteworthy Characteristics

Ranunculus repens, commonly known as creeping buttercup, is a weedy, stoloniferous perennial that typically rises to 8-12” tall, but spreads to 36” wide or more by prostrate stems that root in the ground at the nodes. ‘Buttered Popcorn’ is a dense, creeping ground cover that typically grows to 10” tall and features attractive, chartreuse and gold, deeply cut, serrated, snowflake-like leaves on creeping stems which root as they go at the nodes. Bright yellow flowers appear above the foliage in spring.

Tolerances

• Heavy Shade
• Wet Soil

Potential Problems

While Ranunculus repens ‘Buttered Popcorn’ generally avoids serious insect or disease issues, gardeners should monitor for common fungal problems like leaf spot, powdery mildew, root rot, and rust, especially in very humid or overly crowded conditions. Aphids can occasionally appear, but rarely cause significant damage. The plant sap has the potential to cause blisters on sensitive human skin, requiring care when handling debris or actively cutting back dense runners.

The primary management issue is its aggressive nature; even this cultivar requires regular cutting back when planted near desired borders or lawns to prevent it from displacing less vigorous neighbors. If root rot occurs, it signals excessively poor drainage, which should be corrected immediately through soil amendment or relocation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What hardiness zones is Creeping buttercup suitable for?

Ranunculus repens ‘Buttered Popcorn’ is hardy across USDA Zones 4 through 9, offering flexibility across most temperate gardening regions.

How large does Ranunculus repens ‘Buttered Popcorn’ grow?

This dense ground cover typically reaches a height between 0.75 to 1 foot tall, spreading out to cover an area 1 to 2 feet wide via creeping stems.

When does Creeping buttercup bloom?

The bright yellow flowers of Ranunculus repens ‘Buttered Popcorn’ typically appear in the spring, specifically between April and May.

What sun exposure does Creeping buttercup need?

This plant performs well in a range of light conditions, succeeding in full sun to part shade; note that leaf color is more golden in the sunnier locations.

Conclusion

Ranunculus repens ‘Buttered Popcorn’ offers undeniable vigor and bright spring color, making it a functional solution for covering challenging, moist ground anywhere in USDA Zones 4-9. While its creeping nature demands respect and management to keep it contained, its tolerance for shade and wet soil sets it apart. Before planting this attractive creeping buttercup, assess your landscape to ensure you provide ample space for its spread or commit to regular maintenance cutting.

Companion Planting

When dedicating space to Ranunculus repens ‘Buttered Popcorn,’ select companions that thrive in consistently moist to wet soils and tolerate a wide range of light conditions. Plants that can handle dappled shade and similar soil moisture levels will integrate best with the creeping buttercup’s cultural needs. For areas receiving more sun, consider moisture-loving perennials like Caltha palustris (Marsh Marigold) or moisture-tolerant hostas to provide textural contrast under their leaves.

In shadier, wetter spots where this perennial excels, look toward ferns that handle damp feet, such as Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) or various wetland sedges. The key strategy is to use robust companions that won’t be completely overrun by the stoloniferous spread of the creeping buttercup, or to plant it within defined beds where its expansive habit is intentionally utilized as a living mulch.

Propagation Tips

Propagation for Ranunculus repens ‘Buttered Popcorn’ is straightforward, relying on its natural tendency to multiply. The most common and easiest method is division. During early spring or fall, carefully dig up established clumps of the creeping buttercup and gently separate rooted sections of the stolons. Ensure each new section has healthy foliage and several nodes capable of rooting to secure successful transplanting.

Seed propagation is also viable, though it may not yield plants identical to the parent cultivar due to potential variations. Collect the small seed heads once dried, scarify the seeds lightly if desired, and sow them shallowly in moist seed-starting mix. While these methods ensure a steady supply of Ranunculus repens ‘Buttered Popcorn’, remember containment is vital, so only propagate what you have a dedicated space for.