Ranunculus hybrida Vortex F1 Red - Persian Buttercup

The Vortex F1 Red florist's buttercup, like all hybrids in the Vortex F1 series, has a compact habit, well-branched upright growth, and a very rich colouration. This Red variety produces perfectly double, round flowers in a magnificent glossy red. 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 flowering pots. Not content with their appearance, its very coquettish flowers last for 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 herbaceous perennial plant with tubers originating from the eastern Mediterranean (Greece, Crete). It belongs to the buttercup family, just like our Buttercup. This botanical species has given rise to numerous cultivars through hybridization, which are grouped under the name Ranunculus (x) hybrida. The Vortex F1 Red 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 diaphanous petals. These flowers measure 3 to 5 cm (1 to 2in) in diameter, and their center is filled with small petals resembling a whirlwind, which inspired the name of this hybrid series 'Vortex'.

Its 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 35 cm (14in) in height. It is a slightly hardy plant that can withstand temperatures down to -10°C (14°F). Its root is long-lived, consisting of several small elongated tubers, grouped together in a vascular bundle, sometimes called "claw".

The Vortex F1 Red Buttercup can be grown 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 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 to store them before the frost, this plant can be grown like a gladiolus.