| Description: |
Ranunculus come in very bright, showy colors such as yellow, red, white, gold, orange, and pink. Ranunculus are hybrid, camellia-flowered buttercups that are closely related to anemones. They range from pastel pinks and whites to bright reds and golds as well as picotees. Every ranunculus plant will bear a number of blooms. They thrive in cool temperatures around 55 to 60 degrees during the day and about 48 degrees at night. Ranunculus bulbs are typically planted in fall and are great in warm outside areas or in cool greenhouses if you live farther north in a chillier climate. The water crowfoots are a subgenus of ranunculus that grow in still or running water. They typically have two different types of leaves: broader, floating leaves or thread-like leaves. Ranunculus usually flower in April or May, although they can pop up all summer long in your garden. It's interesting to point out that all ranunculus are poisonous to animals such as cattle, horses, and other types of livestock; however, their nasty taste usually steers animals away. On the other hand, poisoning can, indeed, become an issue in overgrazed fields where there is little else for the animals to graze on and an abundance of ranunculus is present. Remember that animals will eat almost anything if they are desperate. Furthermore, ranunculus has been known to cause dermatitis in humans if there is excessive contact with the skin. Safety should always be practiced when handling ranunculus. |
| Soil Type: |
neutral pH, average moisture
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