Ranunculus

Family: Ranunculaceae
Popular name: Persian buttercup

Origin: Asia Minor

Flower colour: white, yellow, pink, gold, orange, red and mixed

Flowering period: June – August

Average plant height: 30 – 60 cm

Planting depth to base of bulbs: 2 – 5 cm

Spacing between bulbs: 8 cm

Type of bulb: corm with fleshy thickened roots (called ‘claws’)

Light requirements: sunny (PM sun)

Landscape uses: border, beds. Also grown as a cut flower in the garden.

Planting tip

Each stem of Ranunculus bears several blooms. The foliage dies down in the summer. It is advisable to soak the corms (claws) for an hour before you plant them, or water well when planting.

Principal varieties

All common hybrids are crossings from Ranunculua asiaticus. Tecolote (peony-flowered) hybrids from California are the most commonly sold. There are other peony-flowering varieties from Israel and France.