The Ranunculus plant family is rather large, and so are their hardiness zone requirements, while some thrive in cooler climates but most of them like warmer climates. The hardiness zones for Ranunculus can start from Zone 4 up to Zone 11. As there are so many different plants in the Ranunculus family you have to know what the actual name of the plant is, this way you will know if it is hardy in your zone and if you should treat it like a perennial or as an annual plant.
Ranunculus are perennial plants but only in their respective hardiness zones 8-10, if you are growing them outside their hardiness zone then you have to treat them as annual plants which means that you have to dig them up in the fall and replant them in the spring. If you are growing them in their preferred hardiness zones then they are considered to be perennials in your area and they will come back every year.
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The hardiness zone of any plant has to be taken with a pinch of salt, if the Ranunculus plant is hardy between Zones 8-10 then you will most likely be able to grow them as perennials even in Zone 7 although this is not always the case. If you are having problems with your plants wilting then check out my recent article How To Save A Wilted Plant ( As Fast As Possible! ).
Ranunculus Perennial Or Annual?
Ranunculus, also known as buttercups, are generally considered to be perennial plants. However, their classification as perennials or annuals can vary depending on the specific variety and growing conditions. In colder climates, ranunculus plants may be treated as annuals, as they are not frost-tolerant and will not survive harsh winter conditions. In these regions, they are typically planted as annual bedding plants or grown from bulbs each year. In milder climates with mild winters, ranunculus plants can often survive and return year after year, making them true perennials.
Growing Ranunculus As A Perennial Plant
If you want your Ranunculus plants to come back every year then you have to grow the ones that are considered to be perennials in your area. With a simple Google search, you will know if a specific Ranunculus plant is hardy in your zone or not. Once you have chosen the type of Ranunculus plant that is hardy in your zone you can select a good spot in your garden and plant it. The ideal planting time for all Ranunculus plants is in the autumn.
Make sure to soak the corms in water for a couple of hours, you will see the corms swell up and this will give them a very high chance of surviving. As these are perennial in your hardiness zone you can simply leave them in the garden forever and they will come back every year, not only they will come back but they will also multiply.
You can also grow Ranunculus in pots as perennials even if they are outside your local hardiness zone, simply bring them inside before the first frost. In this case, make sure to place the potted Ranunculus next to a window that gets plenty of direct sunlight. The plant might not look the best during the wintertime indoors, but once spring comes and you bring it outside it will bounce back in a matter of days. Easter lilies in combination with Ranunculus will make your garden beautiful, for more information check out my recent article Easter Lily ( Lilium Longiflorum, Trumpet Lily, Bermuda Lily ).
Growing Ranunculus As An Annual Plant
If you have set your eyes on a specific variety of Ranunculus but you live outside of its hardiness zone then you can still grow them but you have to treat them as annual plants. The good news is that Ranunculus plants tend to flower in the first year and you can experiment with different varieties even if you are outside their preferred hardiness zone. The big difference between growing Ranunculus as perennials to annuals is that you will have to dig the annuals up every year and store them in a dry environment until spring.
Once the last frost date has passed you can start planting the annual Ranunculus, just make sure to soak the corms before planting. If your Ranunculus plants are flopping over then check out my recent article Why Do Plants Flop Over? ( Top 9 Reasons ).
Key Takeaways
- Ranunculus are perennial plants only in zones 8-10, in the rest of the zones they are either grown as annuals or they are stored indoors though the winter.
- Ranunculus plants are perennial plants, they will come back every year as long as you grow them in their respective hardiness zones.
- Outside their hardiness zones you can still grow Ranunculus as annual plants, so simply dig them up in the fall and replant them in the spring.
