Ranunculus, buttercup, truly unique flowers

Ranunculus are marvelous right from the beginning of spring and will bloom until the beginning of summer.

Ranunculus facts to remember

Name – Ranunculus asiaticus
Family – Ranunculaceae
Type – tuberous

Height – 16 to 24 inches (40 to 60 cm)

Exposure: part sun  –  Soil: ordinary, drained  –  Flowering: mid→late spring

The planting and care is simple and it is guaranteed to produce a great decorative impact!

Planting Ranunculus

Ranunculus is a bulb flower that loves sun to bloom well, but it hates it when it gets too hot.

• Ranunculus loves humus-rich and well drained soils.
• Full sun or, even better, a partly shaded emplacement will suit it perfectly.
• Dip the tubers in water for a few hours before planting.

Bulbs are planted during the month of February-March at a depth of 2 to 2½ inches (5 to 6 cm).

• The colder it is in your area, the more you’ll have to wait before planting.
• Space each bulb 4 inch (10 cm) apart and water after planting.
• Follow our planting tips for bulbs.

After the ranunculus has bloomed

Depending on the area you live in and the climate you have, your Ranunculus will need to be cared for differently because it’s a plant that is vulnerable to freezing.

• If your buttercup ranunculus are planted directly in the ground, cover the soil with a proper layer of mulch in fall to insulate the bulbs from the cold.
• In regions where the climate is very cold in winter, pull your bulbs out and store them in a dry and ventilated place during the entire winter. You’ll then plant them in the following spring.
• If ever you’ve been keeping your ranunculus as an indoor plant, wait for the leaves to turn yellow entirely, cut them away, and keep the bulb in a cool, dry spot. Repot it to a new pot with fresh soil mix in the following spring.

All there is to know about Ranunculus

The florist’s buttercup, also called garden ranunculus, is a herbaceous plant that is either perennial or annual, and quite hardy because some varieties resist freezing down to 14°F (-10°C).

Native to the Mediterranean (Crete, Greece), northern Africa and South-West Asia, it bears cute, fleshy and colorful flowers in white, pink, red, purple and green colors.
Yellow-colored species are almost always called buttercup.

The word “Ranunculus” directly comes from latin “rana” which means “little frog”. This is because some of these flower varieties are aquatic. It’s also often called frogs-foot.

There are a huge number of ranunculus varieties, and many grow in the wild.
There are thousands of colors to choose from, and creating a bed of mixed colors in your garden is quite impressive.

Smart tip about Ranunculus

This flower holds extremely well as a cut flower.

Snip a couple stems when in full bloom, cut the bottom to slant so that the plant doesn’t choke against the bottom of the vase, and voilà, you’re set for weeks!

• Ranunculus requires water that’s already at room temperature and not straight from the tap.
• Snip the bottom of the stem slantwise every couple days to ensure water penetrates the stem easily.
• Replace the water every 2-3 days.

Read also on bulb flowers:

• Learn how to plant bulbs in clay soil or flood-prone areas.