Ranunculus
Ranunculus asiaticus
Ranunculus grows from claw-like tubers and produces layered, rose-like flowers in vivid colours on long stems. It is a favourite cut flower in cool spring weather.
Photo: SuperJew · CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Essential Care Requirements
Light
Full sun
Watering
Moderate
Water after planting, then sparingly until shoots appear; keep evenly moist while growing.
Soil
Light, well-drained soil; pH 6.0–7.0.
Temperature and humidity
-5–25 °C · Moderate humidity
Feeding
Feed every two weeks once shoots are growing.
Pruning and propagation
Propagate by division, seed
Cut flowers often to encourage more.
All parts are toxic if eaten, and the sap can irritate skin.
Top Cultivation Tips
Soak tubers for a few hours, claws down, before planting.
Plant in autumn in mild climates.
Flowering stops when it turns hot.
Lasts over a week in a vase.
Common problems
Aphids
Small, soft-bodied insects that cluster on new shoots and buds, sucking sap and leaving sticky honeydew behind.
How to treat it →DiseasePowdery mildew
A fungal disease that coats leaves, buds and young shoots with a white, flour-like dust, weakening the plant and spoiling flowers and fruit.
How to treat it →DiseaseRoot rot
Roots decay in waterlogged soil, so the plant wilts and yellows even though the soil is wet.
How to treat it →
