03/13/2026
Forage Friday: Buttercup
While a pasture full of yellow buttercups can look beautiful, it is usually a sign of overgrazing or poor soil health and can be dangerous for livestock.
Why Buttercups Are a Problem
• Toxicity: All parts of the fresh buttercup plant contain ranunculin, which turns into a toxic oil when crushed or eaten. If livestock (especially horses and cattle) consume it, they can suffer from mouth blistering, drooling, colic, and diarrhea.
• Avoidance: Most animals avoid buttercup because of its bitter, acrid taste. However, if desirable forage is scarce due to overgrazing, they may be forced to eat it, increasing the risk of poisoning.
• Pasture Health Indicator: A dense stand of buttercup often indicates that the desirable grass is thin, potentially due to soil compaction, low fertility, or acidic pH.
Management and Control
To effectively manage buttercup, you must address both the existing plants and the underlying pasture conditions:
• Improve Pasture Health: Maintain a thick stand of desirable grass to outcompete buttercup seedlings. Test your soil every 2–3 years and apply lime or fertilizer as recommended.
• Avoid Overgrazing: Prevent animals from grazing grass shorter than 3–4 inches, especially in the fall when buttercup seeds germinate.
• Strategic Mowing: Mowing in early spring before flowers appear can reduce new seed production, though it will not eliminate the plants entirely.
• Chemical Control: Herbicides containing 2,4-D, dicamba, or aminopyralid (e.g., GrazonNext) are effective.
o Timing: For best results, spray in the late fall or early spring (February–March) when plants are small and before they flower.
o Caution: These herbicides can also kill desirable legumes like clover.
Note on Hay: Buttercup toxins generally volatilize and disappear once the plant is dried, meaning contaminated hay is typically safe for livestock to eat, although it can still spread seeds to new areas.
Would you like to know more about controlling pasture weeds or the best herbicides for your specific grass type? Contact Andy Burlingham at Pitt County Cooperative Extension
