The Attraction of Ranunculus

Ranunculus were once wildly popular in the late 1700’s, with over 800 varieties available from one Victorian era nursery. In the language of flowers, sending someone a bouquet of Ranunculus meant that they were "rich in attractions." Indeed there aren’t many flowers that are as rich in attractions as the Ranunculus.

In early spring, when most flowers are reluctant to poke their heads out, Ranunculus happily flower away, offering up 3.5" to 4" wide brilliantly colored flowers. They resemble peonies or old fashioned roses, with multiple layers of delicate crepe paper like petals that come in yellows, whites, reds, pinks, oranges, corals, purple and fuchsias. Few other flowers can boast such a wide color range.

They’re also extremely versatile, suitable for use in a landscape or container, or for use as indoor potted plants. Since they will tolerate a light frost, Ranunculus can be planted outdoors in early spring, and will continue to bloom through early summer. As an added bonus, the flowers make excellent cut flowers, lasting up to 7 days.

When planting outdoors choose a sunny, site that is rich in organic material. A place with 6 hours of sunlight is best; 4 hours is a minimum.

Proper drainage is very important with Ranunculus. They don’t like to get their feet too wet. To test the drainage of the area you’d like to plant in, thoroughly water the area and recheck it in a few hours. If there are still puddles or the soil is saturated after several hours time, add 2-3" of composted manure to the soil and work it in well to improve drainage. Ranunculus also appreciate soil that is slightly acidic, so adding some peat moss in addition to the manure based compost will not only improve the drainage but also provide a happy environment for the roots.

Slugs can sometimes find the celery like foliage attractive, so if you’re planting in the landscape it’s a good idea to put some slug bait down in the area so your plants don’t become snacks.

When planting in a container, water just enough to keep the soil lightly and evenly moist, but not consistently wet. If using in combination with other plant materials, try to pick companions that have similar watering habits as the stems and base of the plant can rot if overwatered.

If you’re harvesting the flowers to use in arrangements, choose flowers that are showing color and are just starting to unfurl their petals. Make the cuts as far down the stem as possible, and transfer to a vase with fresh water as soon as possible. Keeping the flowers away from direct sunlight indoors will help them last longer.

Whether you’re using the flowers for cuts, or just enjoying them in your landscape, it’s a good idea to remove any fading blooms as the petals start to wilt and drop. Pruning off the old flowers will stimulate the plant to keep producing more blooms.

Whether you looking to add a little romance or color to your garden, you can start early this season by planting the richly attractive Ranunculus.