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Red always demands attention and there’s nothing subtle about the way this ranunculus flaunts its frill of glowing petals. It makes me think of the over-the-top style of dress that a Hollywood star might wear for an awards ceremony.
Well, maybe that’s my imagination getting a bit carried away, but Ranunculus asiaticus (or ‘Persian buttercup’) certainly has a glamourous look. The flowers provide a stunningly beautiful and richly-coloured display. (And of course, they’re irresistible to this photographer!)
Like the primulas from my last post, these are currently in stock in garden centres. Here in the UK they’re often treated as bedding plants because they aren’t hardy and it’s difficult to save the tubers for re-planting a second year. Plants bought now can be put outside once there is no risk of frost and will give colour in spring and early summer. Or they can be grown from tubers planted in late spring, to then flower in autumn.
I haven’t yet bought any ranunculus this year (the photo is one from a couple of years ago) but I know that I’ll buy them again in the future. They’re too lovely to miss out on. And it would be fun to try to photograph the rest of the colours that they come in…a project for next spring perhaps?
Ann Mackay: Inspired by Nature 
Gorgeous floral images, Ann! Well presented!
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Thanks Indira! It is a lovely flower to photograph – and that’s an excuse for buying more in the future, hehe!
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This is so different from what I’m used to because all the Ranunculus species in central Texas have bright yellow flowers.
A Texas botanical reference book explains that the genus name is a diminutive of Latin rana, meaning ‘frog.’ In ancient Roman times Pliny applied the word to some of these plants that grow in wet habitats.
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🙂 Prettiest frogs around! (We have the wild yellow buttercups – both the ‘meadow’ and ‘creeping’ varieties and there are cultivated yellow and orange/yellow ones too.)
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I always think about our various native buttercups when I come across the name ‘Ranunculus,’ given that they’re in the same family. I just read that the double-flowered form of Ranunculus asiaticus is cultivated; that accounts for all those closely-packed petals. I sometimes see the flowers in a shop, but I’ve never seen them growing; I suspect our conditions might be too warm, or humid, or variable for them to thrive. There are some gorgeous photos online of peach, white, and pink flowers combined; it will be fun to see what you come up with for your own projects.
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I don’t think they’re all that easy to grow – mine (bought as young plants) didn’t last long after flowering and I’ve read that others have found them difficult from tubers too.
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I have tried growing them this year, but with little success.
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I’ve never tried growing them from tubers but it sounds difficult – too many reviews where folk have tried and failed!
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I started them indoors and several claws germinated, but because it was so damp in the conservatory in December they were attacked by whitefly. I’ve put the bowls outside now and one or two are growing, but out of 20 that’s not great.
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Hmm, don’t think I’ll bother with tubers then! Buying plants is probably the only way I ‘d manage to have these.
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That’s a flower to stop one in one’s step. I didn’t know that one could plant tubers in the spring to achieve blooms in autumn. Thank you for teaching me something new.
Happy springtime planting to you.
Tanja
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Thanks Tanja! There’s lots of exciting tubers and bulbs to plant in spring (in the UK anyway): dahlias, lilies, begonias, and one of my favourites but it’s name is changed: acidanthera. (Now a gladiolus I think.) Lots more too, but can’t think right now!! 🙂
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Thank you, Ann. I have to check into it. I have planted autumn flower seeds in the spring, but never tubers.
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You could have lots of fun…and flowers!
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Lovely prospects!
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Wow, striking. I did see a dress like that on Strictly come dancing once, a latin dance, Salsa maybe. I’ve never grown ranunculus and don’t know too much about them.
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I can just imagine a dress like this on Strictly – what fun! I didn’t manage to keep these plants going for very long after they’d finished flowering. They don’t seem very easy, best just used as bedding plants.
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