Buttercup, also called crowfoot, is a group of bright yellow wildflowers. They are found in most parts of the temperate zones, between the tropics and the polar regions. The name buttercup comes from the color of the cup-shaped flowers. They usually have five rounded petals with a gleaming, satiny surface. Crowfoot, the other common name of this plant, describes the leaves. The leaves usually are deeply divided into three main parts and look somewhat like the feet of birds. Buttercup also is the name of a diverse family of plants.
The common buttercup grows 1 to 4 feet (30 to 120 centimeters) tall. It is found mostly in fields and woods, and along roadsides. The creeping buttercup has stems that run along the ground and may spread over a wide area. Most buttercups grow best in damp places, especially the swamp buttercup. A buttercup called water crowfoot grows in areas of still or slow-flowing water. Other kinds of buttercups include the yellow water buttercup and grassy buttercup.
Spring is the season when the wild buttercups bloom in greatest numbers. Their flowers also appear throughout the summer until September. Farmers regard buttercups as troublesome weeds. Cattle will not eat the plants because of their bitter, burning juice. Buttercups often become the dominant plant life in an area because they can grow and reproduce more successfully than many other types of plants.
