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What’s Up, Buttercup?
Don’t tell a Ranunculus that it is a poisonous weed
It’s springtime on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, a time of great beauty. That’s where the buttercups come in. A nearby farm has a large field that has become an ocean of yellow. That got my attention.
Did the farmer plant them? That seems probable given their dominance. But appearances can be deceiving. There is more on the web about how to control buttercups than how to cultivate them.
Creeping buttercup is in the Ranunculus family and known for its lovely flowers. However, buttercup is considered by many to be a weed due to its invasive and prolific nature. Buttercup control is particularly difficult in large scale infestations unless you wish to resort to an herbicide.
Only last summer the same field was filled with sunflowers. The farmer grows two or three acres of them and sells them to passers-by. To me, the buttercups are equally beautiful. I don’t care if they are also known as spearworts or water crowfoots.
