Introducing...
Bedding ranunculus
Botanical name: Ranunculus
Common name: Persian buttercups
These are short-term beauties, ideal as summer bedding, adding vibrant colour to sunny borders and containers. They are also popular as cut flowers. Plant dormant tubers in autumn or winter or buy young plants in spring.
Looks
In early summer, flowers open in glowing shades of pink, yellow, orange, purple, red or white, either bowl-shaped or packed with multiple satin petals. Robust and stocky, usually about 30cm tall, these plants have parsley-like leaves.
Likes
These colourful buttercups need a sunny site, ideally very sheltered, in soil that drains freely. In containers, use loam-based compost with added grit, perlite or vermiculite to improve drainage.
Dislikes
They dislike exposure to strong wind and wet soil. They won’t flower in shade.
Did you know?
Plants die back after flowering. Although the tubers can in theory be stored for use the following year, this is unlikely to be successful, and plants are best replaced annually.
Growing guide
How to grow bedding ranunculus
All the information you’ll need to grow bedding ranunculus in your garden.
Ranunculus we recommend
Ranunculus asiaticus
Persian buttercup
- 0.1–0.5 metres
- 0.1–0.5 metres
Ranunculus asiaticus 'Aviv Rose' (Aviv Series)
Persian buttercup 'Aviv Rose'
- 0.1–0.5 metres
- 0.1–0.5 metres
Ranunculus asiaticus 'Bloomingdale Pink Shades' (Bloomingdale Series)
Persian buttercup 'Bloomingdale Pink Shades'
- 0.1–0.5 metres
- 0.1–0.5 metres
Ranunculus asiaticus
Persian buttercup
- 0.1–0.5 metres
- 0.1–0.5 metres
Ranunculus asiaticus 'Aviv Rose' (Aviv Series)
Persian buttercup 'Aviv Rose'
- 0.1–0.5 metres
- 0.1–0.5 metres
Ranunculus asiaticus 'Bloomingdale Pink Shades' (Bloomingdale Series)
Persian buttercup 'Bloomingdale Pink Shades'
- 0.1–0.5 metres
- 0.1–0.5 metres
Useful advice
Bulbs for Christmas flowering
Bulbs: planting
Cut flowers: growing and selection
Growing plants in containers
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.