Ranunculus

Here you will find varieties from the Elegance series, picotee ranunculus with coloured edges and a colourful mix. Start the corms indoors from March or plant them straight outdoors from April.

Buy ranunculus: colours and varieties

Ranunculus are popular cut flowers because their blooms last a long time in the vase and open slowly. The Elegance series from Italy has particularly large, densely double flowers. If you are looking for pink ranunculus, try 'Elegance Rosa Chiaro' or the striped 'Elegance Rosa Striato'. Unusual shades come from 'Elegance Cioccolato' in chocolate brown and 'Elegance Salmone' in salmon. Picotee ranunculus such as 'Picotee Rosa' have pale flowers with coloured edges. For colourful pots, choose the 'Ranunculus Mix'.

Planting time and position in Switzerland

Ranunculus are not hardy and only tolerate light frost down to about minus 5 degrees. In Switzerland you therefore plant the corms in spring: from March you can start them indoors in pots; from mid-April they go straight into the border on the Swiss Plateau, at higher altitudes only in May. Flowering follows about ten to fourteen weeks after planting, usually from June to July. Ranunculus like a sunny but not hot spot and loose, free-draining soil.

Planting and caring for ranunculus

• Soak the corms in lukewarm water for 3 to 4 hours before planting
• Planting depth: about 5 cm, with the claws pointing down
• Spacing: around 10 to 15 cm
• Height: about 30 to 40 cm

Once they have sprouted, keep the soil evenly moist but never wet, as the corms rot easily in waterlogged soil. In pots, use potting compost with a little sand. Remove faded flowers regularly and new buds will form. After flowering, let the foliage die back, lift the corms, dry them and store them somewhere cool and dry until next spring. Many gardeners, however, start fresh corms every year because they flower more reliably.

Uses

Ranunculus suit window boxes, pots and the front of borders. For the vase, cut the stems when the buds show colour and feel soft. Good partners are anemones and freesias. Like all members of the buttercup family, ranunculus contain irritant substances; if you have sensitive skin, wear gloves when cutting them.

For a long season, it is worth planting ranunculus in batches two to three weeks apart. That way you will have fresh flowers for the garden and vase from early summer to high summer.