Persian buttercup

Persian buttercup: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Compact plant 30–40 cm tall and about 20 cm wide, with upright, slightly branched flower stems.

Leaves

Three-lobed and deeply cut, fresh green; more finely divided higher up the stem.

Flower

Fully double, rose-like flowers 5–10 cm across with many thin, overlapping petals; single forms also exist.

Colour

White, cream, yellow, orange, pink, red and purple, also bicoloured with a contrasting edge.

Claw

A small bundle of claw-shaped tuberous roots; the points (the claws) go downwards in the soil.

Flowering: May–July · Plants: March–April

Why grow it?

• A top cut flower with sturdy stems and blooms that last a week or more in the vase.
• A wide choice of colours, from soft pastels to bright orange and deep red.
• Each claw produces several flower stems one after another.
• Ideal in a pot or container on a sunny patio.
• Flowers in May–July, nicely bridging the gap between spring bulbs and summer flowers.

Persian buttercup: where does it grow best?

• Full sun; in shade the stems are weaker and there are fewer flowers.
• Light, free-draining soil: sand or loam, neutral to chalky. On heavy clay, better in a pot or raised bed.
• Evenly moist while growing, but never waterlogged: the claws rot quickly in wet soil.
• A spot sheltered from strong wind and late night frosts.
• Plant 10–15 cm apart; a little closer in a pot.

Light

Sun

Soil type

Sand or loam

Acidity

Neutral or chalky

Moisture

Normal

Size

0.35 m tall, 0.2 m wide

Hardiness

Half hardy (to -5 °C): protect it in harsh winters

Goes well with

• Poppy anemone: Also grown from claws, with the same care and almost the same flowering time: lovely together in a cutting bed.
• Love-in-a-mist: Airy blue flowers among the full buttercups, in the garden and in the vase.
• Sweet pea: Another scented cut flower for the same sunny cutting garden.
• Forget-me-not: A soft blue carpet at their feet in spring.

Persian buttercup: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April.

1. Plant in March–April, once the soil is no longer frozen or too wet.
2. First soak the claws for a few hours in water at room temperature, until they swell.
3. Loosen the soil and work in some compost and, if needed, coarse sand for good drainage.
4. Set the claws 5 cm deep, with the claws pointing down.
5. Leave 10–15 cm between them.
6. Water once after planting, then not again until the leaves appear: too much water before growth starts makes them rot.

Care

Water

Keep the soil evenly moist once the leaves are growing, especially during flowering. Water at the base, not over the leaves.

Feeding

Some compost at planting time. In a pot, a high-potash liquid feed every two weeks during flowering.

Spent flowers

Cut them off regularly just above a side bud: the plant then keeps making new flowers.

Support

A few canes or a net keep tall stems upright.

Lifting

When the leaves turn yellow in summer, let the soil dry out and lift the claws, in autumn at the latest.

Tip: Soak the claws for a few hours, but no longer than needed, and plant them 5 cm deep in March–April with the claws pointing down. Lift them in autumn and store them dry.

Persian buttercup: when to prune it?

When: Persian buttercups need no pruning. You only cut flowers for the vase and remove faded stems.

How:

• For the vase, cut when the bud shows colour and feels slightly soft; it will keep opening in water.
• Cut faded flowers off just above a side bud or the next leaf.
• After flowering, let the leaves turn yellow before lifting the claws: this is how they build up their reserves.

Caution: Wear gloves when cutting and lifting: the sap can irritate the skin.

Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Division

When lifting, large clusters often fall apart into smaller claws, each with a bud. Let them dry, store them separately and plant them in spring.

Seed

Sow in autumn or early spring, cool under glass. Seedlings take longer than claws and the colours are unpredictable.

Persian buttercup: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −5 °C: protect in harsh winters.

• Not reliably hardy: the claws tolerate at most a light frost down to about −5 °C and rot in wet winter soil.
• Lift them once the leaves have died back, in autumn at the latest, and let them dry for a few days in an airy place.
• Store them dry, cool and frost-free in a paper bag or an open tray.
• Check them during winter and throw away any rotten or mouldy claws.

Diseases and pests

• Rot: Black, soft claws that do not sprout, caused by soil that is too wet or cold. Only plant once the soil has warmed a little and make sure it drains well.
• Aphids: Green or black aphids on buds and young stems. Spray them off with water; ladybirds help.
• Powdery mildew: White powder on the leaves, especially in dry weather. Water at the base and cut off affected leaves.
• Slugs: They eat young leaves and buds in a damp spring. Pick them off in the evening or lay down a board as a hiding place.

Through the year

• March: Soak the claws for a few hours and plant them 5 cm deep, claws pointing down.
• April: Plant. Water once the leaves appear. Keep slugs at bay.
• May: First flowers. Cut flowers for the vase. Water in dry spells.
• June: Full flower. Remove spent flowers; in pots, a high-potash feed every two weeks.
• July: Last flowers. The leaves start to yellow: water less.
• August: Leaves have died back: lift the claws and let them dry.
• September: Lift now at the latest. Store dry and frost-free.
• December: Keep the claws cool, dry and frost-free; throw away any that rot.

Edible and useful

Not edible. All parts of Persian buttercup are poisonous, especially when fresh: the sap contains protoanemonin, an acrid compound that irritates the mouth, stomach and skin, as in the buttercups in the lawn. The dried claws are soaked for a few hours before planting: keep that bowl out of reach of children, dogs and cats, and store claws you lift after flowering dry and out of their reach. People who cut or bunch a lot of ranunculus sometimes get red, itchy fingers from the sap: wear gloves. Do not let rabbits, guinea pigs or horses near the plant or its trimmings, and call your vet if an animal has eaten some. If any is swallowed, call a poison centre (in Belgium 070 245 245) or your doctor at once.

Did you know?

• The name Ranunculus means ‘little frog’ (from the Latin rana, frog), because many species in the genus grow in wet places.
• In the eighteenth century the ranunculus was a prized collector’s plant in Europe, and enthusiasts raised countless varieties.
• It belongs to the same genus as the yellow meadow buttercup.