Last Updated on June 30, 2022
Ranunculus (aka “Persian Buttercups”) is a beautiful flower that features soft, tissue-like ruffled petals. But did you know that they are almost effortless to care for despite their fragile appearance?
Caring for Cut Ranunculus Flowers
The vase life of ranunculus flowers is about 7 to 10 days. If you purchase them online, it’s imperative to hydrate them upon arrival properly.
Here are the steps we follow when ranunculuses arrive at the shop.
Ranunculuses (Persian Buttercups) are normally shipped dry, so you must hydrate them upon arrival. We don’t remove the outer wrap.
We trim about an inch off the stems using a clean, sharp floral knife or bunch cutter.
Once cut, we dip the stems in a floral hydrating solution and place them into a vase or bucket filled with lukewarm water (100° to 110° F).
Ranunculus stems are susceptible to rot, so we only place them in shallow water (about an inch). Doing so helps to prevent stem rot and extend their vase life.
We allow them to hydrate for a couple of hours (1 to 2) or until the water reaches room temperature.
Once hydrated, we remove the wrap, remove any damaged foliage and side shoots, recut, and transfer the stems into a clean vase filled with fresh water (about an inch) and a flower preservative added.
We use Floralife Crystal Clear® at the shop, but Chrysal Flower Food is another great brand we use too.
We keep the flowers in a cool location until we begin working with them.
We change the water and re-cut the stems every two days to help extend their vase life. If you notice the flowers beginning to droop, they are not getting enough water.
Here’s a short video that recaps the steps you should use.
As you see, fresh-cut ranunculus flower care is simple when you follow this advice.
Ranunculus Varieties and Availability
Ranunculus has become one of the most popular wedding flowers in the world. After roses, they are the second most popular wedding flower, even outpacing peonies and dahlias in popularity.
There are many different types of ranunculus available, but Ranunculus “Asiaticus” is the variety that most people are used to seeing.
They are available in a wide range of bright colors, from brilliant red and deep purple to bright pink and orange. Their bright color range makes them an excellent choice for year-round flower arrangements.
Pastel colors include cream, pale yellow, peach, and white ranunculus. These trendy flowers look great in wedding bouquets, corsages, boutonnieres, or other floral arrangements.
It’s no wonder these colorful flowers are a staple in many flower shops today.
There are a couple of other varieties that may not be familiar to you. The “Clooney,” or Italian ranunculus, boasts a much larger flower, similar to garden roses and peonies.
Butterfly ranunculus varieties feature airy and delicate flowers with petals that resemble butterfly wings. The petals change color as the flowers open, and they have a waxy shine to them, which helps to extend their vase life.
They typically feature 12-15 flowers per stem and are versatile flowers for floral design work, especially in a bohemian or rustic flower arrangement or bouquet.
Ranunculus flowers are available year-round, but optimum availability is from January to May.
Where to Buy Ranunculuses
While ranunculus flowers are widely available for purchase online and through your local florist, you’re not likely to find them at many large chain supermarkets or big-box warehouse store flower departments.
I have seen them available from time to time at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods stores in my area and a few higher-end grocery store flower departments.
If you’re looking to purchase multiple (5 or more) bunches of ranunculuses for a wedding or special event, take a look at BloomsByTheBox, GlobalRose, FiftyFlowers, or FlowerExplosion. I’ve found the cost per bunch on these sites to be pretty competitive.
If you are interested in the “Cloony” or Butterfly varieties, I’ve seen them at FiftyFlowers.com. You can also order these through your local florist.
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