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Greater Spearwort (Ranunculus lingua) with floating ring
$25.00
Greater Spearwort (Ranunculus lingua) is a tall, eye-catching flowering marginal pond plant that brings bright colour and height to ponds and water gardens. Often called the Water Buttercup, it produces masses of large, glossy golden-yellow buttercup flowers through late spring and summer, held high above long, narrow, spear-shaped leaves.
Growing to approximately 1–1.2m high, Greater Spearwort is an excellent choice for adding a vertical accent to the edge of your pond. It can be grown in shallow water up to approximately 30cm deep, making it well suited to marginal shelves and boggy pond edges.
Its cheerful flowers are a magnet for bees, hoverflies and other pollinators, making it a great addition to any wildlife-friendly water garden.
Why you'll love Greater Spearwort
- Showy golden-yellow buttercup flowers
- Also known as Water Buttercup and Tongue-leaved Crowfoot
- Long flowering period through late spring and summer
- Adds height and structure, growing approximately 1–1.2m high
- Attractive, upright, spear-shaped foliage
- Suitable for full sun to part shade
- Can grow in water approximately 5–30cm deep
- Attracts bees and other pollinators
- Fast-growing and hardy
- Ideal for marginal pond areas and bog gardens
- Dies back in winter before re-emerging in spring
Where to grow Greater Spearwort
Greater Spearwort is best suited to the margins of ponds and water gardens, either planted on a marginal shelf or in permanently moist, boggy soil around the pond edge. It grows happily with its crown submerged in approximately 5–30cm of water.
For the best flowering display, choose a position in full sun, although it will also grow in part shade.
Greater Spearwort is a vigorous plant that spreads by creeping stems. To keep it neat and contained, we recommend growing it in a pond pot or aquatic planting basket. It is best suited to medium and larger ponds, and should not be planted in or near natural waterways.
Flowers for pollinators
The bright, bowl-shaped flowers of Greater Spearwort open in succession over many weeks, providing a reliable source of nectar and pollen for bees, hoverflies and other beneficial insects.
For a pond that buzzes with life, combine Greater Spearwort with a variety of flowering, floating, oxygenating and marginal pond plants to create layers of colour, cover and habitat.
Adding height to your pond
Many pond plants sit low on the water, so tall marginals like Greater Spearwort are valuable for adding height and structure. Its upright stems and long, narrow leaves soften pond edges and help blend the water into the surrounding garden.
Plant it towards the back of a marginal shelf, or in a group, for a natural, established look.
Greater Spearwort through winter
Greater Spearwort is cold tolerant but will die back during winter. This is completely normal and not a sign the plant has been lost.
Trim away old growth once it browns off, and fresh new shoots will appear as temperatures rise in spring. Cutting back spent flower stems after flowering will also help keep the plant tidy.
A note on handling
Like other members of the buttercup family, Greater Spearwort contains sap that can irritate the skin and is harmful if eaten. We recommend wearing gloves when trimming or dividing the plant, and keeping it away from pets that like to chew plants.
Greater Spearwort Plant Information
Plant type: Perennial flowering marginal pond plant
Botanical name: Ranunculus lingua
Common names: Greater Spearwort, Water Buttercup, Tongue-leaved Crowfoot
Origin: Europe and western Asia
Position: Full sun to part shade
Height: Approximately 1–1.2m
Flowers: Golden-yellow buttercup flowers in late spring and summer
Water depth: Approximately 5–30cm
Growth habit: Upright and spreading
Winter: Dies back, re-emerges in spring
Best for: Pond margins, adding height, pollinator gardens, bog gardens and colourful water gardens
Plant Greater Spearwort around your pond
Greater Spearwort is a wonderful choice when you want to add bold colour, height and life to your pond. Plant it in a pond basket on a marginal shelf and enjoy a summer-long display of golden flowers.
Looking for more flowering pond plants? Explore our range of Pond Plants Online and discover flowering, floating, oxygenating, marginal and native plants for your water garden.
