Description for Ranunculus (Mix Color)
Brilliantly colored flowers of Ranunculus is a great attraction! They most often come in multiple layers of delicate, crepe paper-thin petals, looking like an origami masterwork. Ranunculus (R. asiaticus) excel in southern and western gardens and make terrific container plants everywhere. They also make long-lasting cut flowers.
Ranunculus buttercup plants produce cheerful multi-petalled flowers. The almost unpronounceable name covers a large group of perennials from Asia and Europe. The plants are not very hardy and may be annual in colder zones.
| Common name | Flower colours | Bloom time | Height | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ranunculus, Wedding flowers | White, Red and Gold to Orange, Yellow and Pink | Fall plantings of ranunculus come into bloom in March, while spring plantings will flower in late summer. | 10 to 24 inches | Easy to grow |
Planting and care
Choose a location in full sun and be sure the soil is well drained. The one environment that ranunculus do not tolerate is warm and wet. The cool soil of fall and early spring offers some protection from rotting, but soil that is never soggy gives extra insurance.
Plant the tuber claw pointed end down and 1 to 2 inches deep, less in clay soil. Space jumbos 8 to 12 inches apart (at least one tuber per square foot), number three tubers about 4 inches apart (two or three per square foot).
Those living in areas with cool summers can plant bulbs outdoors in the spring for late summer blooms.
| Sunlight | Soil | Water | Temperature | Fertilizer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full sun | Cultivate the soil to a depth of 9-to-12 inches, working fertilizer and organic matter into the planting bed. | Water ranunculus after leaves emerge when necessary to maintain a moist planting area but do not saturate soil. Ranunculs tubers rot very easily in wet soil. Use a soaker hose or other form of ground irrigation to avoid wetting flowers once ranunculus begins to bud. | Not more than 60 degrees F(16 degrees C) during the day and 45 to 50 degrees F(7-10 degrees C) at night. | Apply fertilizer to the planting bed after the foliage dies down. A balanced fertilizer blend, such as 10-10-10, bone meal or a fertilizer blend designed specifically for flower bulbs, can be used, following product instructions. |
Caring for Ranunculus
- Buttercup is an easy flower to grow. Care of Ranunculus to ensure yearly displays may require that you pull out the tubers at the end of the season.
- Allow the foliage to almost completely die back and then dig out the tubers. Lay them in a cool, dry place to evaporate all the moisture from the bulbs.
- Store the tubers in a dark location until spring and then start them indoors in pots.
- Replant the buttercups outside when all danger of frost is passed and the first true leaves are evident.
- Ranunculus buttercup plants require temperatures of no more than 60 degrees F (16 degrees C) during the day and 45 to 50 degrees F (7 to 10 degrees C) at night to break dormancy and begin sprouting.
Harvesting
NA
Typical uses of Ranunculus
Special features: Attractive flowers
Culinary use: NA
Ornamental use: Beyond their intrinsic beauty, ranunculus flowers have another virtue: they last indoors about 7 days after cutting. And at about a penny-and-a-half per flower, they are very inexpensive. Cut when flowers first show colour, in the early morning after they have had the night to recharge themselves with moisture. For an additional day or two of vase life, add any floral preservative to the water.
Medicinal use: NA
References
- http://homeguides.sfgate.com/care-ranunculus-49854.html
- http://www.garden.org/subchannels/flowers/bulbs?q=show&id=757&page=2
- http://www.lahoregardening.com/2009/12/growing-flowering-bulbs-in-warm_04.html
- https://www.thespruce.com/ranunculus-bulbs-for-cutting-garden-1315714
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