Ranunculus Asiaticus ‘Persian Buttercup’
The soil should not become waterlogged nor should it be allowed to completely dry out in the initial growing phase, it should be kept just moist.
Persian buttercup
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Ranunculus Asiaticus ‘Persian Buttercup’
Kersie is a professional and vocational writer who learnt the basics of gardening as a toddler, courtesy of his grandfather. He is an active gardener with a preference for flowering plants.
/ Updated August 7th, 2023
Reviewed By PETER LICKORISH
Peter is a Horticulture Lecturer and self-employed Horticulturist, with a passion for diverse areas of the industry – from garden design to the science behind plant growth and propagation. He has completed the Royal Horticultural Society’s Master of Horticulture (MHort) Award and lectures on RHS courses at Bedford College.
IN THIS GUIDE
- Overview
- Habitat and Growing Conditions
- How To Grow Ranunculus
- Plant Care
- Common Problems
- References
RANUNCULUS GUIDES
Would you like to see fully double bowl-shaped blooms with row after row of neatly-arranged wafer-thin petals in your garden?
And, oh, the colours – snow-white, ruby red, dark violet, or gradated flame orange or with fine purple edging!
On top of it all the long-blooming flowers rise above a perfect backdrop of feathery foliage – be introduced to Garden Ranunculus.
Overview
| Botanical Name | Ranunculus asiaticus |
| Common Name(s) | Persian Buttercup |
| Plant Type | Perennials / Annuals |
| Native Area | Eurasia |
| Hardiness Rating | H4 |
| Foliage | Deciduous |
| Flowers | Beautiful blooms in various hues |
| When To Sow | March, April |
| Plant Out | May to June |
Sunlight
Preferred
Full Sun or Partial Shade
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Size
Height
0.1 – 0.5M
Spread
0.1 – 0.5M
Bloom Time
April – September
Soil
Preferred
Most soil types
Moisture
Moist but well-drained or well-drained
pH
Acidic / Neutral
Genus Ranunculus girdles the globe – this cosmopolitan genus is absent from only a swath of land in western Africa, northern South America, and Papua New Guinea. 1 Ranunculus. (n.d.). Kew Royal Botanic Gardens. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:30002060-2
Ranunculus asiaticus, the parent species for Garden Ranunculus, occurs in nature in a belt of land from Cyprus through Turkey and Iraq to Iran.
Ranunculus grows from underground tubers which are, not quite accurately, also called corms.
They are herbaceous deciduous perennials that are effectively annuals in cold climates.
Bear in mind, though, that other species – besides Persian Buttercups – in this genus are starkly different.
Some are fully cold-hardy, others grow in poor soil, and yet others are water-loving aquatic plants.
Persian Ranunculus are none of these things; they are highly-cultivated ornamental plants for well-manicured gardens.
There is one and only one reason to grow these plants: the blooms.
Though Persian Buttercup is not a type of plant that offers a cornucopia of varieties, the limited number that it does produce such perfectly-sculpted blooms that just about anyone with a flower garden will probably want to try their hand at Ranunculus!
Habitat and Growing Conditions
Garden Ranunculus does not flourish in hot, humid conditions or in overly-damp soil.
They grow best in well-draining, light soils.
At the same time, the tubers are not fully hardy and will not survive prolonged frosts, especially in containers.
The best type of climate for these plants is made up of mild winters, long springs with cooler temperatures, and pleasant summers that are not very warm or very rainy.
At an RHS hardiness rating of Zone H4, Garden Ranunculus is just hardy enough to be grown as a perennial in most of the United Kingdom.
Planting and growing Ranunculus in the UK is one of those fine-margin propositions such that your particular location will dictate your choices and will also strongly influence how successful you are in this endeavour.
How To Grow Ranunculus
Ranunculus offer at least three possibilities as to how best to deploy them in the garden.
Preliminarily, though, these flowers are most suitable for courtyard gardens, city gardens, and even formal gardens.
A mass planting of mixed varieties in a large bed will create a stunning effect in view of the form of the blooms and the colours.
At the other extreme, a single plant of any of several varieties in a container will make a superlative accent plant for the entry steps.
Finally, Ranunculus make excellent companion plants such that a few combinations are already established.
Try yellow and orange Ranunculus varieties with traditional blue and purple Delphiniums, as just one example.
Sourcing Tubers
Tubers can be categorised in different ways. Many British growers grade them by circumference.
If you intend to grow Ranunculus in a sizeable bed, you can go with a large number of smaller, less floriferous, and certainly less expensive 4/5 tubers.
For container-growing and for specimen plants, you should buy the larger tuber sizes.
No matter which ones you get, tubers should be dry, firm, and without any nick or blemish.
Planting
Before planting the tubers, you may soak them in water at room temperature for an hour or two.
In southernly UK regions, you can plant tubers in November, early spring, or both, otherwise plant them after the last frost.
However, note that the tubers need temperatures of 9-13°C to emerge.
If the average temperature is not within this range then you will need to grow the tuber(s) indoors or under glass in controlled conditions.
This will achieve earlier spring flowering.
Tubers should be planted about 4cm deep.
Aim for a spacing between 10-25cm apart, depending on tuber and cultivar size.
They must be planted with the ‘claws’ from which the roots will grow, downward.
Backfill the hole and gently firm up the soil.
“If you’re in doubt as to how best to grow these delightful plants, I would recommend planting them in October into 1 litre pots of good compost that is water-retentive, but also free-draining,” shares Master Horticulturist Peter Lickorish.
“Place these somewhere slightly warm and out of rainfall, such as a greenhouse or cold frame. Keep the compost lightly moist but not too damp and in very early spring, growth should emerge.”
Aspect
In all parts of the United Kingdom except the balmiest ones these plants should be sited in full sun, otherwise they should get morning sun for about six hours.
Soil Requirements
A sand-based soil with little or no clay amended with organic compost or humus down to 7-8cm will suit these plants very well.
Soil pH should be in the Slightly Acidic to Neutral range – 6.1 to 7.3 – or thereabouts.
The soil should drain very well as this plant’s tubers are at risk of rotting in damp or poorly-drained soil.
If you need to enhance drainage incorporate gravel at the bottom layer or mix in perlite.
You can also facilitate drainage by forming ridges or mounds into which to plant the tubers.
Apart from the garden, Ranunculus tubers may also be planted in suitably-sized containers.
Plant Care
You can plant Garden Ranunculus tubers in two very different seasons so that they will, in turn, produce flowers in two very different seasons as well.
In either case the flowering season will last for five weeks, stretching to six.
Autumn-planted tubers will put up flowering stems in March and spring-planted tubers will do so in June.
Thus, if the summers in your particular region are not overly warm and humid, you can enjoy summer Ranunculus blooms, besides spring ones.
Watering
Water well after planting. You may apply a thin mulch of hay, straw, or bark.
Water twice or three times per week.
The soil should not become waterlogged nor should it be allowed to completely dry out in the initial growing phase, it should be kept just moist.
Decrease the quantity and frequency of watering after the plants become established, and cease watering after they have shed their leaves and become dormant.
Fertilising
In the beginning of spring or at the end of spring, depending on when you planted the tubers, feed the plants with a 5-10-10 slow-release fertiliser.
The aim is to do this prior to flowering.
Alternatively, mix bonemeal into the soil several centimetres away from the tubers.
Overwintering
Though Ranunculus will grow outdoors in most regions of the UK, whether or not you should lift the tubers for the winter depends on your precise location, the possibility of a hard frost, and the kind of soil you have prepared.
If you live in a cooler region of the UK, if you anticipate an extended frost, if your soil does not drain very well, or if you anticipate a wet summer, you should remove the tubers for indoor storage until planting season comes around, otherwise simply dispose of them and buy new tubers the following season.
You can circumvent the need to remove tubers and re-plant them by growing Ranunculus in appropriately-sized containers.
If you need to lift your tubers, cut off the tops, allow them to dry out in a cool, dry, dark room, and store them in a similar environment, after lightly packing them in vermiculite and putting them in a mesh bag.
“As the frost risk subsides, transplant them into the ground or large decorative containers and await their triumphant display,” adds Peter.
“Once they’ve finished, return them to their pots and the same location they spent the winter in, as this will keep them dry over the summer, which is important. Just be careful to make sure they do not bake too much.”
Common Problems
Belying their delicate and refined appearance, Ranunculus are relatively healthy plants that do not suffer from many pests or diseases.
All you mainly need to watch out for are aphids and powdery mildew.
Aphids can be combated with organic remedies such as horticultural soaps.
If you see powdery mildew on a plant cut off the affected parts and promptly remove them from the garden.
Ensure that the plant is getting sufficient sun and is not closed-in by other plants.
You can avoid mildews by watering at soil level so that foliage does not get damp.
References
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