Ranunculus asiaticus White - Persian Buttercup

The candid flowers of the Asian Buttercup with double white flowers, a variety of Ranunculus asiaticus, appear in abundance in spring, in very round, very full, very double corollas, very homogeneous, white with just a touch of creaminess at the heart. It is a small perennial bulbous plant but sensitive to cold, which will add a sparkling touch to perennial beds. Not content with being so adorned, its very coquettish flowers last 3 weeks in a vase. It is cultivated in partial shade or in the sun, in fresh, humus-rich soil.

The Asian buttercup, also known as garden buttercup or Oriental buttercup, is a herbaceous perennial plant with tubers native to the eastern Mediterranean (Greece, Crete), from the buttercup family, just like our Buttercup. The Double 'White' Buttercup, derived from this species, is a spring-flowering variety often intended for greenhouse cultivation, in floristry, to hasten the production of its magnificent corollas. In May-June, each bulb offers up to 10 large flowers in very full cups, with white and diaphanous petals. These flowers measure from 3 to 5 cm (1 to 2in) in diameter.

Its deciduous foliage develops in a rosette. The basal leaves measure 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6in) long. They are pale to dark green, divided into three deep lobes. At maturity, this Asian buttercup can reach a height of 35 cm (14in). It is a moderately hardy plant that can withstand temperatures as low as -10°C. Its root is long-lasting, consisting of several small elongated tubers, grouped in a vascular bundle, sometimes called a "claw".

The Asian buttercup can be cultivated in flower beds, borders, rockeries, and even in pots on a terrace. It is a very ornamental plant that is also used in bouquets for its excellent longevity. It can be paired in floral arrangements with old roses that resemble them so much, or even with modern roses with perfect forms, in shades ranging from blue-mauve to garnet, passing through all shades of pink. By digging up the tubers in autumn to store them before the frost, this plant can be cultivated like a gladiolus.