Persian buttercup.

At a glance

Care level

Moderate

Plant type

Tuberous perennial

Light

Full sun to partial shade

Indoor light

Bright indirect

Water

Every 3 to 7 days

Mature size

12 to 18 inches

Growth rate

Medium

Hardiness

USDA 8 to 11

Bloom time

Mid to late spring

Care

Plant the tubers with the claws facing downward in well draining soil. Keep the soil consistently moist but never soggy to prevent the tubers from rotting. Watch for yellowing leaves which often signal that the plant is entering its summer dormancy.

Watering

Keep the soil evenly moist but avoid letting the tubers sit in standing water.

Feeding

Use a balanced liquid fertilizer once the foliage begins to emerge in early spring.

Pruning

Snip off spent blooms to encourage the plant to put energy back into the roots.

Repotting

These are often treated as annuals, but you can dig up and store the tubers after the foliage dies back.

Soil

Well draining sandy loam

Soil pH

6.0 to 7.0

Temperature

-5 to 30°C

Humidity

40 to 60%

Drought tolerance

Low

Lifespan

Perennial, often grown as an annual.

Deer and rabbits

Moderate

Safety

People

The plant contains ranunculin, which breaks down into protoanemonin, causing skin blisters and internal distress if eaten.

Pets

This plant is toxic to cats and dogs if ingested.

Children

Keep this plant away from children as the tubers and foliage are toxic if chewed or swallowed.

Contact allergens

Handling the stems or leaves can cause contact dermatitis in sensitive individuals.

Airborne allergens

The pollen is generally not considered a major airborne allergen.

Edibility

All parts of this plant are toxic if ingested and can cause severe irritation.

How to identify it

• Layers of delicate paper thin petals
• Claw like tuberous roots
• Deeply divided fern like foliage
• Vibrant colors including red, yellow, pink

Height

0.2 to 0.45m

Spread

0.15 to 0.25m

Leaves

green, deciduous

Flowers

red, orange, yellow, pink, white, 5 to 10cm

Problems to watch for

• AphidsCommon
• Powdery MildewCommon
• Root RotUncommon
• Tuber RotUncommon

Growing it

Propagation

division, seed

When to plant

fall, early spring

Overwintering

In cold regions, dig up the corms after the foliage yellows, clean them, and store in a cool, dark, dry location until spring. In mild areas, mulch heavily to protect from hard frosts.

In containers

They grow very well in pots, provided you use a container with excellent drainage and at least 20 cm in depth.

Plant these in well draining soil to prevent the corms from rotting during the cool spring season.

Grows well with

• Anemone · They share similar cultural requirements and bloom times.
• Pansy · They provide a colorful, low growing contrast in spring beds.

Similar species

• Creeping Buttercup · A related species that is much more aggressive and often considered a weed.

Science

Family

Ranunculaceae

Genus

Ranunculus

Order

Ranunculales

Class

Magnoliopsida

Native range

Eastern Mediterranean, including parts of Greece, Turkey, and Iran.

Conservation

Not currently of conservation concern.

It thrives in cool, moist spring conditions and enters dormancy as temperatures rise in summer.

Value to wildlife

nectar source

Pollinators

bees, butterflies

Uses

cut flowers, container gardening, spring borders

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Do I need to soak the corms before planting?

Yes, soaking them in water for a few hours helps them rehydrate and sprout faster.

Can I leave them in the ground over winter?

Only in mild climates, otherwise you should lift and store the corms in a cool, dry place.

Where the name comes from

The genus name Ranunculus refers to the habitat of many species near water where frogs live, while asiaticus denotes its Asian origin.

Good to know

• These plants grow from claw like tubers called corms.
• They are native to the eastern Mediterranean region.
• The name Ranunculus comes from the Latin word for little frog.

Also in

• Plants toxic to cats and dogs