Ranunculus asiaticus Supreme Pink® - Persian buttercup

Ranunculus asiaticus Supreme Pink® is a horticultural variety of florist's ranunculus selected for the beauty of its flowers and its long vase life. Its highly double spring flowers are arranged in rosettes which resemble small roses or peonies. They come in various shades of pink, giving them charm and romance. Ideal for bouquets, they can also be planted in the garden in climates where temperatures do not go below -5°C. Elsewhere, they must be grown either as annuals in the garden or in pots to overwinter them frost-free.

Ranunculus is the type genus of the family Ranunculaceae, to which it gave its name. It coexists with other popular ornamental genera, such as Clematis, superb climbing plants, or Globeflowers (Trollius), slightly less well-known but equally decorative. The Asian ranunculus, also known as the florist's ranunculus (Ranunculus asiaticus, or sometimes Ranunculus africanus), originates from the eastern part of the Mediterranean basin and Western Asia. This species thrives in Mediterranean climate zones. Its distribution area extends from the Aegean islands and Crete to Turkey, the Levant, as well as Egypt, Libya, Iraq and western Iran. It favours open, sunlit spaces, generally on light, stony or sandy soils, characterised by marked summer drought. It is a species cherished by breeders who regularly produce new varieties mainly for the floristry trade. This is the case with the 'Supreme Series' horticultural range, consisting of modern cultivars with long stems and highly double flowers. 
Supreme Pink® forms a clump about 50 cm tall and 20 cm wide at flowering maturity, arising from a claw-like tuber that serves as a storage organ. Its habit is compact to upright, with stiff, sparsely branched stems. The basal leaves in a rosette are medium to bright green and have a slightly downy texture. The deciduous foliage is also present on the stems: the rosette leaves are rounded and lobed, and those on the stems are more divided. Flowering occurs between March and June, depending on climate and planting date. The medium-sized, 4 to 6 cm in diameter flowers are truly very double. Their very numerous petals pressed together give the flower corollas a spherical to turbinate shape. Their colour is a pretty pink, paler at the centre and more pronounced towards the edge of the flower. Morphologically, many stamens are transformed into petals, which explains their very high number. They are very fine with a tissue paper-like appearance, which, combined with their shades of pink, gives this flower its beauty and romantic charm. The uniform and abundant flowering allows you to create superb bouquets that last 2 to 3 weeks in a vase.

With its extremely double and perfectly formed flowers, delicate and refined pink hue, and excellent vase life, Ranunculus Supreme Pink® is a wise choice for cut flower enthusiasts. Resistant to short frosts of around -5°C, it will find a place in milder gardens, in moist but well-drained soil and in a sunny, but not scorching,  position. You can group it with spring bulbs such as Daffodils or Tulips. To extend the flowering season, you can also add corms of Sparaxis tricolor to your planting scheme. In climates that are too cold in winter, you will need to grow it like Gladioli and lift the tubers before winter, or treat it as an annual.