Founding florist
Tulipanna
Bondi NSW · est. 1992
A Bondi Road florist since 1992, with seasonal bouquets, arrangements, roses and potted orchids, and a weekly note on what's at market.
Seasonal cut flowerRanunculus asiaticus
Ranunculus: when they're in season in Australia
Ranunculus are in season in Australia from July to October. In Victoria the season runs August to November.Being confirmed
- Right now
- In season in September
- Season
- July to October
Season by state
Ranunculus are a cool-season flower, at Australian markets from about July to October, with some early stems from June and a tail into November in cooler parts of Victoria. They are grown commercially here, and small flower farms in Victoria, South Australia and the NSW Southern Highlands grow them for spring picking. Look for the Italian-bred Butterfly types with waxy, branching stems and the big multicoloured Festival series. Their tightly layered petals open slowly over a week.
Where to buy ranunculus
Sold by the bunch. Best value in the middle of the season, from about August to September. Being confirmed
How to choose good ranunculus
Give the bud a gentle squeeze. A good ranunculus shows full colour and gives a little, like a marshmallow, but the petals are still wrapped around the centre. Hard green buds may never open properly. Check the neck just under the head, where the stem bends and snaps first, and pass over any with a soft neck, grey patches or yellowing leaves. They have almost no scent, so your nose won't help here. A bunch of ten fills a medium vase, and twenty makes a proper show. August and September bring the most stems and the best quality for the money.
Grown here or imported?
Ranunculus are not native to Australia, but they're grown here commercially.
Where they're grown
Ranunculus grow from small, clawed corms planted in autumn, and they flower as the days lengthen through late winter and spring. Commercial crops for the flower markets are grown in open fields and under plastic tunnels, which keep rain and frost off the soft stems. Being confirmed Alongside the bigger growers, many small flower farms in Victoria, South Australia and the NSW Southern Highlands grow them for local florists and farm-gate sales, as they like the cool nights in those districts. The popular Butterfly types are bred in Italy, and growers here buy in fresh corms or young plants each year. Being confirmed Once November heat arrives, the plants stop producing good stems.
Stems at Australian markets are mostly grown here, so when they are out of season they are hard to find. Being confirmed
Colours, varieties and care
Colours
- white
- lemon
- apricot
- orange
- red
- pale pink
- deep pink
- burgundy
Varieties to ask for
- Butterfly
- Festival series
Making them last
- Choose blooms that have started to open but where the petals have not yet separated from the centre
- Check stems are firm, as they are hollow and bruise easily
- Recut stems and use a shallow amount of cool water with flower food
- Keep away from ripening fruit, as ranunculus are sensitive to ethylene
- Change the water every couple of days
Using them at home
Ranunculus sit happily with the other cool-season flowers that share their months: anemones, tulips, freesias and, from August, sweet peas. In late winter a few sprigs of wattle pick up the lemon and apricot shades. Keep the arrangement low and loose in a squat jar or a footed bowl, since the hollow stems prefer shallow water. Over the week the heads open from a tight ball into a wide, papery cup almost twice the size, so leave room between stems. Butterfly types look best in a simple glass where their branching stems show.
Meaning
In the Victorian language of flowers, "I am dazzled by your charms".
Where to see them growing
Bloom Into You Flower Farm
Flowerdale
Open: January to AprilBeing confirmed
Little Lyndoch Flower Farm
Lyndoch
Open: not yet confirmedBeing confirmed
Big Sky Flower Farm
Brukunga
Open: not yet confirmedBeing confirmed
Sydney Flower Market
Flemington
Best: all yearBeing confirmed
Melbourne Market flower market (National Flower Centre)
Epping
Best: all yearBeing confirmed
Questions people ask
When are ranunculus in season in Australia?
Ranunculus are at Australian markets from about July to October, with the best quality in August and September. Early stems can appear in June, and Melbourne florists often see them into November. Growers and florists broadly agree it is a late winter and spring flower.
How long do ranunculus last in a vase?
Koch & Co puts it at up to seven days with good care. Buy them just as they start to open, keep them away from fruit bowls and change the water often. Their stems are hollow, so use a shallow vase and avoid squashing them.
What are Butterfly ranunculus?
Butterfly ranunculus are a type with fewer, glossy petals and branching stems carrying several smaller flowers. They last well and are popular with florists for a looser, garden look.
Can you grow ranunculus in Sydney?
Yes. Plant the corms in April or May, once the soil has cooled. Soak them for a few hours first, then plant claws down about 5cm deep in a sunny, well-drained bed or pot. They flower from late winter into spring. Sydney's warm, humid spring days shorten the season compared with Melbourne or the Southern Highlands, so plant early.
What's the difference between ranunculus and peonies?
They look alike in photos, but ranunculus are smaller, with thin, tightly layered petals, hollow stems and almost no scent. Peonies are bigger, often fragrant and grow from long-lived plants that come back each year. In Australia ranunculus arrive first, from about July, while peonies are a late spring flower from October to December.
Related flowers
All flowers
Where this season information comes from
- koch.com.au/blog/the-essential-guide-to-the-ranunculus
- figandbloom.com/blogs/journal/australian-flower-calendar
- katehillflowers.com.au/blogs/bloom-journal/flowers-in-season-melbourne
- livingflowersmelbourne.com.au/blogs/news/seasonal-flowers-by-month-in-australia
- bloomcollege.com.au/blog/what-flowers-are-in-season-for-melbourne-spring