Persian buttercup

Sun

Full sun; light afternoon shade can help in warm areas.

Water

Keep evenly moist during active growth without waterlogging; keep dormant tubers dry.

Soil

Fertile, freely draining soil; raised beds or containers are useful where winter soil stays wet.

Height

1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m)

Spread

0.5-1 ft (0.15-0.3 m)

Flowers

Spring to early summer, depending on planting time and climate; white, cream, yellow, orange, pink, red and purple, often with contrasting edges.

Foliage

Green, deeply divided leaves form a low clump and yellow as the plant enters summer dormancy.

Growth

Moderate; flowers within one growing season from healthy tubers.

Care needed

Medium

• Deer resistant
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Needs looking after

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.5 ft (0.15 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.5 ft (0.45 m)

   full size

About 1 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Toxic

Growth rate

Moderate

• Plant tubers with their claw-like fingers pointing down, about 2 in (5 cm) deep and 4-6 in (10-15 cm) apart.
• Water when the soil surface starts to dry during growth; never leave pots standing in water.
• Feed container plants every two weeks with a balanced liquid fertiliser at the label rate while actively growing.
• Support tall flowering stems with short stakes or low mesh in exposed positions.
• Protect emerging growth from frost; lift tubers after foliage dies where winters are cold or wet, and store dry and frost-free.

Pruning. Remove faded flowers by cutting their stems back to the base, unless saving seed. Leave green foliage intact and remove it only after it has yellowed and died naturally.

Autumn

In mild-winter areas, plant tubers in freely draining soil for spring flowers.

Winter

Protect autumn-planted plants from hard frost and prolonged rain; keep stored tubers dry and check for rot.

Early spring

In cold-winter areas, start tubers in pots under cool, frost-free cover, or plant outdoors once hard frosts have passed.

Spring

Water during dry spells, feed container plants and put supports in place before stems lengthen.

Late spring

Cut flowers as buds begin to open and remove faded blooms regularly.

Summer

Reduce watering as foliage yellows; lift dormant tubers if the bed will stay wet or winter protection is needed.

• Plant in groups near the front of spring borders for concentrated blocks of colour.
• Use in patio pots where the layered flowers can be seen close up.
• Combine with violas and forget-me-nots for a low, softly coloured spring display.
• Grow in dedicated cutting beds with stocks and snapdragons for spring bouquets.

Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, Romantic rose garden, Formal, Modern courtyard, Pastel border and Potager (kitchen garden).

Plant it with: Violas, Forget-me-nots, Snapdragons, Stocks, Tulips and Poppy anemones.

Wildlife: Open, single flowers can provide pollen and nectar for insects; densely double forms offer little accessible food.

• Tuber and root rot: avoid waterlogged soil, discard soft or mouldy tubers and keep dormant tubers dry.
• Aphids: inspect buds and new shoots; wash small colonies off with water or use insecticidal soap according to its label.
• Slugs and snails: protect emerging shoots with hand-picking, barriers or locally approved bait.
• Powdery mildew: improve spacing and airflow, water at soil level and remove badly affected leaves.

Toxic to cats, dogs, horses and people if eaten, especially when fresh. All parts contain irritating compounds that can cause mouth pain, drooling, vomiting or diarrhoea; substantial ingestion can be serious. Sap may irritate or blister skin, so wear gloves when handling damaged plants.

• Poppy anemone (Anemone coronaria)

  Usually has a conspicuous dark central cluster of stamens and a collar of finely cut leaves just below each flower; double Persian buttercups usually have tightly layered petals that hide the centre.

• Peony (Paeonia lactiflora)

  Has a much larger, sturdier clump with broad leaflets and usually larger flowers; Persian buttercup has smaller, finely divided basal leaves and slimmer flower stems.

Ranunculus comes from Latin for 'little frog', referring to the wet habitats of many buttercups, while asiaticus means 'Asian'.

Propagation. Separate healthy tuber clusters during dormancy, keeping a viable crown and buds on each division. Seed can also be sown under cool, protected conditions, but named cultivars may not come true and seed-grown plants take longer to flower.

Accepted botanical name

Ranunculus asiaticus

Native range

Cyprus, East Aegean Is., Egypt, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Kriti, Lebanon-Syria, Libya, Palestine, Sinai and Turkey.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.