Buttercups are plants with tuberous roots, commonly called bulbs, which are very popular with gardening and flower enthusiasts. Also commonly called French, marimoñas or marimonias, This genus of plants actually has more than 400 species, although in gardening the most common of them is the Ranunculus asiaticus. They are native to Asia and the eastern Mediterranean area and spread to the rest of Europe when the Crusaders brought them from the Eighth Crusade.
If you want to learn more about the Ranunculus, Join us in this Green Ecologist article in which you will see a practical and complete guide on the buttercup care.
Buttercups or ranunculus: characteristics
These are the main characteristics of buttercups:
- Scientific name: Ranunculus asiaticus.
- They are outdoor plants.
- They bloom throughout the spring and part of the summer. If you like these types of plants, discover 22 spring flowers here.
- Temperate climate.
- They usually reach heights of up to 20 cm.
- Its flowers are of a great variety of colors. For example, white buttercups, orange buttercups, pink buttercups, red ranunculus, and yellow ranunculus are highly sought after.
- Its bulbous tubers are called claws or spiders.
- They are poisonous if ingested.
These plants, which are very similar to peonies or even roses, with which they are often confused, are so popular and have been so hybridized that there are currently a huge number of varieties created by man, with different colors and characteristics. .
We recommend you meet these 15 bulb plants if you like those that are like ranunculus.
Climate and location for buttercups
As mentioned above, buttercups do best in temperate climates. They can tolerate temperatures down to -10 ºC from time to time, but it is advisable not to plant them in climates that usually drop or for long periods below 0 ºC. Very low temperatures will slow down the plant for the ranunculus flower to come out.
Excessive heat does not suit them either and, with temperatures above 18ºC, the plant will have problems surviving, especially if it is exposed to the sun. For this reason, it is not a suitable plant for hot or tropical climates, since it needs its cold periods to develop well.
Regarding their location, these plants, normally used outdoors, should be placed in the sun if we live in a cold climate or in a semi-shade location if the weather is temperate.
Substrate or soil for buttercups
This plant needs loose and aerated floors, that offer a very good drainage and are rich in organic matter. Can use compost specifically for roses or, prepare yourself a mixture with a part of peat, another of worm humus and a last of coconut fiber, which ensure a light and nutritious substrate. Add perlite and vermiculite to improve its drainage and water retention properties.
Irrigation and compost
Watering is very important when it comes to buttercup care. In the warm months they need the substrate to maintain at all times certain level of humidity. Of course, we must avoid, as always, waterlogging at all costs. Anewing the soil can lead to rotting of the bulb and, therefore, the death of the plant.
The marimoñas or French girls appreciate a contribution of fertilizer every three weeks after the second month of sprouting. You can use universal fertilizer for flowering plants, or organic and ecological fertilizer, such as compost or worm castings, the latter very complete. Here you can learn more about How to make homemade compost to add more organic matter to your plant's substrate.
How to plant ranunculus
The buttercup bulbs, which as we have said are also called claws or spiders due to their particular shape, can be easily acquired during the buttercup season, which is in the fall for most climates. That's right cHow are ranunculus planted?:
- Bury the claws between 5 and 10 cm deep depending on the size of each one, placing the larger ones more deeply. Pay attention to place the lightest part up, which will be where it sprouts, and leave about 12 cm of distance between the bulbs.
- After planting, it will be necessary to water more abundantly during the first week, although it is also usual to immerse the claws in water for 24 hours before planting them so that they reach the soil or substrate hydrated.
- So, when deciding when are buttercups planted We will do it almost always before the arrival of winter, although outdoors and in cold climates it is better to wait until the end of January or February.
- When the plants begin to sprout with the arrival of spring or even earlier, each bulb will emit several stems, which we can trim to leave 4 or 5, thus enhancing the remaining flowers.
- When the stems dry, it is preferable to cut them and let the bulb spend the winter buried, so that it sprouts again the following season.
How to store marimonias or ranunculus plant bulbs
Now that you know how to plant ranunculus from its bulbs, as well as its care, we only need to talk about the conservation of its bulbs so that they can continue to grow in the coming seasons.
In especially cold or very humid climates, it is preferable to remove the claws from the ground to prevent excess water from rotting them. For remove and preserve buttercup bulbs follow these steps:
- You should not remove the claw or bulb until the aerial part of the plant has completely died.
- Wash it well to remove the remains of soil and clean it with a bulb sterilizer to avoid disease or fungi. You can find it in specialized gardening stores.
- Let them dry between 48 and 72 hours in a ventilated place without light.
- Store them in paper bags.
- Store them in a dry, cool and dark place until it is time to replant them again.
As you have already learned the basic care to know how to grow buttercupsWe encourage you to learn how to take care of peonies with this other gardening guide from Ecologist Verde, because as we have indicated before, they are plants with very similar flowers and that you may also like.
If you want to read more articles similar to Buttercup care, we recommend that you enter our category of Cultivation and care of plants.
