© RHS / Neil Hepworth

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

Ranunculus we recommend

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Useful advice

Bulbs for Christmas flowering

Bulbs for Christmas flowering

Bulbs: planting

Bulbs: planting

Cut flowers: growing and selection

Cut flowers: growing and selection

Growing plants in containers

Growing plants in containers

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