17 Dreamy Ranunculus Varieties to Grow This Spring

A few years back, I finally ordered my first ranunculus corms for my spring cutting garden, and I never looked back. These exquisite flowers unfold layer upon layer to reveal one of the most stunning blooms you can add to a floral arrangement. 

While superbly beautiful, ranunculus plants are just a bit dangerous. All parts of the plant are toxic to people and pets, so handle them with care. If you have curious pets, plant them in a space they can’t reach. 

‘Aviv Picotee Cafe’

	botanical name Ranunculus asiaticus ‘Aviv Picotee Cafe’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 12”-24”
	hardiness zones 8-11

‘Aviv Picotee Cafe’ is a showstopper ranunculus variety for spring. Bred for floristry, they have extra-large flowers that are up to five inches across when fully opened. The color combination is incredible. The gold base has flecks and stripes in shades of deep bronze and terracotta, with a deeper shade on the outside of the petals. This creates a lot of dimension and depth to the densely petaled blooms. 

The petal form of ‘Aviv Picotee Cafe’ is peony-like. It is a mass of thin, delicate petals. The extra-long stems make them excellent for floral arrangements. Each corm produces multiple stems. 

‘Hades®’

	botanical name Ranunculus Butterfly™ ‘Hades®’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 12”-24”
	hardiness zones 8-11

Butterfly™ ranunculus is a beautiful spring collection of varieties with delicate, shimmering flowers that grow several to a stem. Most types only have one per stem, so this is a unique and desirable trait. The blooms are less densely petaled, resembling a fluttering butterfly.

‘Sprinkles Violet Bicolor’ is a fully double-petaled variety. The pillowy blooms have a lavender base with splashes of violet and magenta at the edges and bleeding into the center. They have a roselike form and look amazing in a centerpiece. 

‘Bahama Mama’

	botanical name Ranunculus asiaticus ‘Bahama Mama’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 12”-24”
	hardiness zones 8-11

‘Bahama Mama’ is an Italian Clooney ranunculus variety for spring arrangements. The difference is in the breeding, as these are more resistant to diseases and have larger, more showy flowers. They are particularly good for cutting, opening as large and densely-petaled specimens. They also tend to have longer stems, another great floristry attribute. 

This cultivar is an exemplary specimen that embodies all the wonderful qualities of Italian varieties. The paper-thin petals are a melange of colors, with a yellow base that fades to a coral orange near the edges. In the center, they have a distinct green eye.

‘Cloni Success Nerone’

	botanical name Ranunculus asiaticus ‘Cloni Success Neroni’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 12”-24”
	hardiness zones 8-11

Another Italian ranunculus variety, their selective breeding, makes this one of the most dramatic plants in the spring cutting garden. ‘Cloni Success Nerone’ has enormous blooms in a deep, rich burgundy. These would be perfect in a goth garden, as the center is so dense it’s nearly black. 

When they open fully, there is a lighter green eye in the center. Their sturdy stems and wonderful ruffled petals make this a desirable variety for florists. 

‘Ariadne’

	botanical name Ranunculus Butterfly™ ‘Ariadne®’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 12”-24”
	hardiness zones 8-11

Butterfly™ cultivars closely resemble another relative, the anemone. Their wide open form and exposed eye set them apart from the more densely petaled forms. They have the added perk of carrying anywhere from five to nine blooms per stem, making these go a long way in a bouquet. 

‘Ariadne®’ was named for the wife of Dionysus, god of wine and festivity. It is a feminine and festive variety. The blooms are an ombre of pinks from powder on the outside, deepening to bubblegum in the center around a dark brown eye.

‘La Dolce Vita’

	botanical name Ranunculus Elegance ‘La Dolce Vita’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 12”-24”
	hardiness zones 8-11

‘La Dolce Vita’ lives up to its name as an icon of sweetness and beauty. This Italian cultivar has the signature dense and lush form of its kind in a delightfully soft peachy pink shade. In the center, they have a yellow glow, and a green eye peeks out when they are fully open. 

The Italian varieties have made improvements, including longer and stronger stems and bigger and more flashy blooms. They are also more productive and thrive in a wider range of climates.

‘Striato Giallo’

	botanical name Ranunculus Elegance ’Striato Giallo’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 12”-24”
	hardiness zones 8-11

Another trait of the Italian spring ranunculus varieties is that they tend to have greater consistency between plants. Each cultivar is unique, but you’re more likely to know exactly what you are getting when you grow these. There are few surprises. 

‘Striato Giallo’ is a perfectly plump, lemon-yellow flower with layer upon layer of paper petals. The lightly scalloped edges stand out more because they contrast in a deep shade of wine red. They are incredibly eye-catching. 

‘Amandine Juliette’

	botanical name Ranunculus ‘Amandine Juliette’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 12”-24”
	hardiness zones 8-11

‘Amandine Juliette’ is a member of the Amandine series, which has exceptionally large blooms that resemble peonies. This cultivar also has extra-long stems, making it excellent for the cutting garden. The series blooms a bit later in the season and is more heat tolerant. 

The ‘Amandine Juliette’ variety has big, beautiful pink flowers ranging from bubblegum to cerise. A bouquet of these can rival a bunch of roses any day of the week. 

‘Pauline Violet’

	botanical name Ranunculus asiaticus ‘Pauline Violet’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 12”-16”
	hardiness zones 8-11

There is something extra special about burgundy blooms. They have a depth and mystery that lighter colors simply cannot rival. All colors are beautiful, but ‘Pauline Violet’ has a special allure. Swirls of maroon petals resemble garden roses, and they have a wonderfully symmetrical shape. 

This is a slightly shorter variety, but the stems are still nice for cutting. The fuzzy buds also have a purple tint, and the medium green and lobed foliage forms an attractive mound. This is a great container variety. 

‘Hestia®’

	botanical name Ranunculus Butterfly™ ‘Hestia®’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 12”-24”
	hardiness zones 8-11

Named for the Greek goddess of hearth and home, these are some of the most charming of the Butterfly™ ranunculus varieties for spring. They have a delicate beauty with pale peach petals. At the center, a starburst of pink adds a surprising twist and a deep brown eye stands out against the pastel confection. 

‘Musa®’

	botanical name Ranunculus Butterfly™ ‘Musa®’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 12”-24”
	hardiness zones 8-11

This vibrant Butterfly™ cultivar has a double petal form, setting it apart from most of its peers. A bouquet of these stems is breathtakingly beautiful. The red buds open to salmon flowers, which fade to coral. They retain a deeper reddish bronze in the center. 

‘Musa®’ has extra-long stems, good height, and a prolific blooming habit. Butterfly™ cultivars tend to have an even longer vase life. I’ve had these last up to two full weeks. Just remember to top off the water, as they can be thirsty. 

‘Maillane’

	botanical name Ranunculus Romance™ ‘Maillane®’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 12”-24”
	hardiness zones 8-11

I hope you’re ready for this one. The Romance™ series has giant flowers on tall, strong stems. They are desirable in the floral trade and make a fabulous addition to the cutting garden. 

‘Maillane®’ is one of the most romantic cultivars out there. The extra-large flowers are a dense, rounded mound of petals in the most perfect shade of pink. The edges of the petals have irregular ruffles and resemble old garden roses. The size and color make these a noteworthy variety. 

‘Iceberg’

	botanical name Ranunculus ‘Iceberg’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 12”-24”
	hardiness zones 8-11

Large, crisp, and the perfect shade of creamy white, ‘Iceberg’ is a common choice for bridal bouquets. The purity of these blooms makes them special and unique. Corms are great producers, growing up to a dozen stems per plant. 

‘Iceberg’ resembles the Italian cultivars, but it’s considered a half-clone. These are hybrids of seed-propagated and clone varieties. They have large flowers and an excellent vase life. 

‘Salerno’

	botanical name Ranunculus Romance™ ‘Salerno®’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 12”-24”
	hardiness zones 8-11

These Romance™ series ranunculus are a stellar bunch. This newer variety has been on the market for three years and I don’t see it going away any time soon. Between the large flowers and strong, solid stems, it’s another favorite among florists. 

‘Salerno®’ is a combination of glorious shades of peach and gold. The outer petals are more of a pink shade, and there is a golden glow in the center that radiates warmth throughout. They have a fluffy, domed shape. 

‘Odon®’

	botanical name Ranunculus Romance™ ‘Odon®’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 12”-24”
	hardiness zones 8-11

Once more, another Romance™ ranunculus must be added to the list for good measure, and this is perhaps the most striking of them all! It’s difficult to describe the exact color of ‘Odon®,’ but it is magnificent. The outer petals are dense and heavily textured. They are dark, bronzed red toward the outside and gradually take on more green until you reach the chartreuse center. 

This is another newer cultivar with solid stems, which are great for holding up substantial blooms. To see the buds at their full and fantastic size, let them get nice and fat before you cut them. 

‘Reinette Orange’

	botanical name Ranunculus ‘Reinette Orange’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 12”-18”
	hardiness zones 8-11

These orange ranunculuses are joyful, happy flowers that positively glow in the garden and floral arrangements. But they’re not just orange. They have a fancy color gradation that changes from nearly red on the outside to bright green in the center. Between the two is a mixture of the colors with bits of orange painted on green, as well as the converse.