Ranunculus
Ranunculus asiaticus
Also called buttercup and persian buttercup
Ranunculus blooms from April through May.
Mature size, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not.
Growing Ranunculus
Plant it in full sun. It prefers moderate water. It is hardy in USDA zones 8–10. Expect it to reach about 1.3 ft tall and 6 in wide at maturity, in roughly 1 year.
When to plant Ranunculus
Ranunculus is a fall-planted bulb: get it in the ground 6 to 8 weeks before the ground freezes, typically November or December across zones 8 to 10. It pays you back the following April to May.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar: for the middle of its range, start with zone 9 in November.
Comes in 10 varieties across 6 colors
Same plant, same care - pick the color you are growing.
Good to know about Ranunculus
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note.
Safety
All parts are poisonous, and it is toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Crushed or chewed fresh tissue releases an irritant that burns skin, mouth and gut. per ASPCA and NC State
Worth knowing
The toxin protoanemonin forms only when fresh tissue is crushed or chewed; on drying it converts to a harmless compound, so dried material (like hay) is far safer than fresh. per Cornell
When to plant by zone
In zones 8 to 10, plant tubers in fall and leave them to overwinter. In colder zones, plant in early spring as an annual, or lift and dry-store. per NC State and Clemson
Soak the dried claws first
The tubers arrive dried and shriveled, like tiny claws. Soak them a few hours in room-temperature water before planting and they plump into octopus shapes, for faster, more even sprouting. per Clemson
Rots in wet, cold soil
Its biggest killer is overwatering: the claw-shaped tubers rot readily in cold, wet, poorly drained ground. Give sharp drainage and avoid heavy clay; drainage matters more than rich soil. per NC State and Missouri Botanical
Cool-season, fades in heat
A cool-season plant: it grows and blooms in spring's cool, then slows and goes dormant as summer heat arrives. Plant early so flowering finishes before peak heat. per Clemson and Missouri Botanical
Blooms about 90 days out
Flowers open about 90 days after planting and last 6 to 7 weeks, a spring-into-early-summer show. per Clemson
What pairs well with Ranunculus
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Feather Reed Grass
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in early summer as this one finishes; leafs out to hide the ripening bulb foliage as it dies back; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; they only overlap in zones 8 to 9.
Blanket Flower
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in early summer as this one finishes; leafs out to hide the ripening bulb foliage as it dies back; orange sits close to pink on the wheel.
False Indigo
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; leafs out to hide the ripening bulb foliage as it dies back; overlaps, then carries the display into early summer; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; they only overlap in zones 8 to 9.
Agave
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; leafs out to hide the ripening bulb foliage as it dies back; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
Blue Oat Grass
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in early summer as this one finishes; leafs out to hide the ripening bulb foliage as it dies back; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; they only overlap in zones 8 to 9.
Pampas Grass
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in late summer, extending the bed's season; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; stands well above at 8.2 ft, a canopy to plant beneath.
Gardenia
Takes full sun to part sun and moderate to high water; overlaps, then carries the display into midsummer; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; taller at 3.9 ft, for the layer behind it.
Sunflower
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in midsummer, extending the bed's season; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; taller at 6.6 ft, for the layer behind it.
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