Ranunculus hybrida Vortex F1 Purple - Persian Buttercup

The Vortex F1 Purple florist's buttercup, like all hybrids in the Vortex F1 series, has a compact habit, well-branched upright growth, and a very rich color. This Purple variety produces perfectly double flowers ranging in colour from purple violet to pinkish purple to lavender. It is a small perennial bulbous plant, but sensitive to cold, often cultivated as a biennial. It will bring a sparkling touch to perennial borders and make charming potted displays. Not content with its beauty, its very coquettish flowers last 3 weeks in a vase. It can be grown in partial shade or full sun, in moist, humus-rich soil.

The Asian buttercup Ranunculus asiaticus, also known as garden buttercup or Oriental buttercup, is a perennial herbaceous plant with tubers native to the eastern Mediterranean (Greece, Crete). It belongs to the buttercup family, just like our Buttercup. This botanical species has given rise to many cultivars through hybridization, which are collectively referred to as Ranunculus (x) hybrida.  The Vortex F1 Purple Buttercup is a compact variety that does not exceed 20 cm (8in) in height, with early spring flowering, often used for ornamental containers. From late March to late May, each plant bears numerous large flowers with very full cups and delicate petals. These flowers measure 3 to 5 cm (1 to 2in) in diameter, with their centers filled with small petals resembling a whirlwind, which inspired the name of this hybrid series 'Vortex'.

Its foliage forms a rosette. The basal leaves measure 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6in) in length. They are pale to dark green, divided into three deep lobes. At maturity, this Asian buttercup can reach 35 cm (14in) in height. It is a less hardy plant that can withstand temperatures down to -10°C. Its root is long-lived, consisting of several small elongated tubers gathered in a vascular bundle, which are sometimes called "claws".

The Vortex F1 Purple buttercup can be cultivated in borders, edging, rockeries, and even in pots on a terrace. It is a highly ornamental plant that is also used in bouquets for its excellent longevity. It can be combined in floral arrangements with other varieties of different colours, with old roses that resemble it so much, or even with modern roses with perfect forms in shades of purple, pink, white, or mauve. Lavender-flowered catmints are also good companions for this variety, as well as lobelias and love-in-a-mist. By lifting the tubers in autumn and storing them before the first frost, this plant can be grown like a gladiolus.