Ranunculus (Persian Buttercup)
Ranunculus asiaticus
Family Ranunculaceae
Ranunculus is the flower people assume is fake — layer upon layer of tissue-thin petals swirled into perfect ruffled globes in jewel colors that seem lit from within. Florists build whole spring weddings around it. Grow your own and you can cut armloads, and the cutting only makes it bloom harder.
It's a cool-season sprinter, blooming in the bright weeks before summer heat arrives, and deer leave it entirely alone — a plant for vases, not plates, since it's toxic if eaten. In zones 8 through 10 it can return for years; everywhere else it's a spring luxury worth replanting annually.
Where to buy ranunculus (persian buttercup) — 3 nurseries compared
Full Sun
Moderate water
Fast in cool weather growth
Deer-resistant
Attracts bees
From the print shop
Growing ranunculus (persian buttercup)? Hang it.
Our Plant Library collection carries ranunculus (persian buttercup) — Ranunculus asiaticus, print Nº 390, “Ranunculus (Persian Buttercup).”
526 designsfrom $12.99white or black backgroundmatte poster, unframed
Will it fruit where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what ranunculus (persian buttercup) actually needs.
Life cyclePerennial zones 8–10, annual elsewhereRanunculus (Persian Buttercup) · Common problems
Common ranunculus (persian buttercup) problems
Pests
2 problems on file
Diseases
2 problems on file
- Powdery Mildew
- Rot in warm/wet soil
Ranunculus (Persian Buttercup) · Growing & propagation
Growing ranunculus (persian buttercup)
- Light
- Full Sun
- Water
- Moderate, even
Cool-season grower
Soil- Rich, well-drained · pH 6.0 - 6.5
Fertilizer- Balanced feed every 2 weeks in growth
Spacing- 4-6 in
How to plant & propagate ranunculus (persian buttercup)
- Propagate
- Offsets, division, or bulbils
Ranunculus (Persian Buttercup) · Calculators & field guides
A little help in the garden.
Ranunculus (Persian Buttercup) · Yearly calendar
The ranunculus (persian buttercup) year, month by month
Jan
No calendar activity is listed for this month.
BloomBloomMarch to May
What each band means
- Bloom — flowers open — pollinators working, frost on blossoms is the danger.
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
Ranunculus (Persian Buttercup) · Ecology & uses
Ecology & uses
Ranunculus asiaticus
Ranunculus (Persian Buttercup) in the garden system
Attracts- Bees
- Moisture
- Facultative / average
- Deer
- Resistant
A safer unfenced choice
Origin- Introduced
What ranunculus (persian buttercup) is grown for
⚠ Toxic if eatenToxic if eaten; sap irritates skin
Use- Cut flowers
- Use
- Spring bouquets
- Use
- Cool-season color
Harvesting & storing ranunculus (persian buttercup)
Cut deeply and often — the more you cut, the more it blooms.
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
Ranunculus (Persian Buttercup) · Varieties & cultivars
Choosing a ranunculus (persian buttercup) variety
'Tecolote' and 'Amandine' series; 'Cloni' types (premium cut-flower)
Sources & plant identity
Know what you’re growing.
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Ranunculus (Persian Buttercup)
Ranunculus asiaticus
The plant, at a glance.
- Botanical name
- Ranunculus asiaticus
- Plant family
- Ranunculaceae
- Growth habit
- Bulb · Tender Perennial
- Origin
- Introduced
- Invasive risk
- Low
Hardiness, size and timing vary with your cultivar, soil and climate.
Rooted in research.
University extension research, brought together with hands-on growing experience at Story Thyme Farms.
Questions
Ranunculus (Persian Buttercup) questions, answered straight.
Do deer eat ranunculus (persian buttercup)?
Rarely — ranunculus (persian buttercup) is considered deer-resistant, which makes it one of the safer unfenced choices in deer country. Hungry deer in a hard winter test every rule, but it's a low-risk pick.
Is ranunculus (persian buttercup) safe for kids and pets?
No — treat it as toxic if eaten. Toxic if eaten; sap irritates skin Site it accordingly if children or pets roam the garden. This is general reference, not medical or veterinary advice — call a vet or poison control if something has actually been eaten.
When do you harvest ranunculus (persian buttercup)?
Cut deeply and often — the more you cut, the more it blooms.
How do you propagate ranunculus (persian buttercup)?
Offsets, division, or bulbils.
Elsewhere
Where ranunculus (persian buttercup) sits in the library.
Sunflower
Zinnia
Peony
Daylily