Ranunculus seeds are even less expensive and sold year-round, but they usually must be started indoors. They are often sold in packages of 25 for less than 50 cents a bulb. Generally, you’ll get a better bargain if you buy the bulbs in larger quantities. Although smaller bulbs won’t flower as well, they may be acceptable for containers and mass plantings. Bigger tubers will produce 10 to 12 stems in a growing season and as many as 35 flowers. Larger bulbs produce more flowers:Īlways buy the largest tuber size available (called jumbos) because they will be more prolific and the flowers will be larger, says Benzakein. Some nurseries also sell ranunculus in pots in the spring, which is a good option if want to grow them in containers. You can also find them at big-box retailers such as Amazon, Home Depot, and Walmart. The clawlike bulbs, or tubers, of ranunculus are widely available in fall at nurseries in mild-winter climates and in fall and early spring from mail-order suppliers. The less common ‘Bloomingdale’ hybrid is a dwarf variety that produces the same lush petal-packed blooms but on shorter, sturdier stems 8 to 10 inches high.

It comes in almost every color except blue, and some of the most exotic varieties have green centers, variegated petals, and picotee edges.

‘Giant Tecolote’ produces large double-flowered blooms up to 6 inches wide on stems as tall as 2 feet.

Both have cup-shaped flowers that look like a hybrid of a peony and a tea rose, with abundant layers of papery petals set off by feathery parsley-like leaves. asiaticus are commonly cultivated for planting in home gardens. Bloom time:Įarly spring to summer, depending on the climate. Can be successfully grown as an annual in cooler climates (zone 7 and below). The name is derived from the Latin word rana, or frog, because of the plant’s preference for wet growing conditions. On this page: Ranunculus Basics | Buying Tips | Planting Guide | Pictures | Ideas for Using Ranunculus “With so many wonderful qualities - tall stems, double-ruffled blooms, a light citrusy rose fragrance, high productivity, and one of the widest color ranges imaginable - it is impossible not to fall head over heels for these beauties,” says grower and floral designer Erin Benzakein, author of Floret Farm's Cut Flower Garden: Grow, Harvest & Arrange Stunning Seasonal Blooms. Although ranunculus is a frost-tender tuber, it can be grown as an annual in most climates, and the bulbs are inexpensive and widely available at many nurseries and mail-order suppliers. But if you’re an admirer of ranunculus and have been longing to grow your own, it’s easier than you might think. These show-stopping spring bloomers have long been a favorite of commercial florists because of their brilliantly colored flowers and long vase life.

Unless you live in a mild Southern California climate, you are more apt to see ranunculus (Persian buttercups) in a floral shop or bridal bouquet instead of growing in your neighbor’s garden.

Persian buttercup ranunculus