If you have never tried planting ranunculus flowers, this might be the year to attempt growing these showy, multi-petaled garden attractions. Also known as Persian Buttercups, ranunculus flowers are making big news in gardening circles.

Featured in the spring issue of Magnolia Journal magazine and the personal garden of its publisher, ranunculus was named the 2025 Flower of the Year by a national floral retailer known for highlighting seasonal trends. It has also been widely promoted by European bulb organizations as a top spring-blooming flower.

Ranunculus blooms, with their multiple layers of petals that resemble miniature roses or peonies, are often featured in high-end wedding bouquets and arrangements. They grow in a range of brilliant and pastel shades, from cream and apricot, to rich reds, pinks, oranges and yellows.

Gardeners in warmer climates can plant them in their flower beds and borders in the fall where they grow as hardy annuals and bloom in early spring. However, in cold-winter regions such as Northeast Ohio and Northwest Pennsylvania, ranunculus must be grown from corms (tuberous roots) and planted in early spring.

They thrive in full sun and well-drained soil, growing 12 to 16 inches tall. Ranunculus prefer cooler temperatures and typically go dormant when the average summer temperatures reach the 80s and above.

That flowering cycle can be tricky for gardeners in this region. We can’t plant ranunculus in the garden until the risk of frost is past, and they can take as long as 90 days to flower after planting. Our hot summer days will be here by then.

If you start now, ranunculus corms can be forced to sprout indoors as early as 12 weeks before the last frost. If starting later in the spring, planting in pots is the best answer.

You can purchase Ranunculus corms online or in garden centers where packaged bulbs are sold, and prepare a pot with adequate drainage and good-quality potting soil. Before planting, soak the corms in room temperature water for three to four hours, changing the water every hour. Don’t soak longer, or they could become waterlogged and rot.

Plant the corms in the pot with their “claws” facing downward 2 to 3 inches deep and spaced about 4 inches apart to ensure proper air flow and to prevent disease. Place the pot under a grow light or in a full-sun location outdoors in early spring, but bring it inside if frost is expected. The seedlings can be transplanted to the garden or to larger containers after the threat of frost is passed.

Ranunculus make excellent, long-lasting cut flowers, if harvested as buds. It is important to note, the leaves of all ranunculus species are toxic to humans, dogs and cats when ingested, so keep the plants away from pets and small children.

Hixenbaugh is an Ohio State University Extension Master Gardener Volunteer in Mahoning County.