Ranunculus asiaticus Butterfly Thiva® - Persian buttercup

Ranunculus Butterfly™ Thiva® is a charming and refined florist's ranunculus with poppy-like flowers in shades of mauve, long stems and an excellent vase life. Less opulent than a classic double ranunculus, it appeals with airier, almost dancing flowers. It is at once a romantic and contemporary variety, ideal for spring borders, large pots, and cut flower arrangements.

This variety belongs to the Ranunculaceae family. It is derived from Ranunculus asiaticus, the Asian ranunculus or florist's ranunculus, a tuberous perennial native to the eastern Mediterranean, widespread from the southern Aegean islands to western and south-western Iran. In the wild, this plant grows in open Mediterranean habitats, on stony or cultivated ground, in phrygana, olive groves and well-drained hillsides.

Butterfly™ Thiva® was bred by Japanese breeder Aya Engei. It belongs to the Butterfly™ series, developed for cut flowers and prized for its long stems, abundant flowering and lighter flowers borne in small clusters at the top of the stems. Thiva®, launched in 2022, is often described as an improvement on Butterfly™ Europe®. The plant grows quickly and flowers in one season. It reaches 50 to 60 cm in height, depending on the growing method, with a spread of 20 to 30 cm; in a pot it will remain slightly more compact. This ranunculus develops from a tuberous claw that requires very well-drained soil, even dry in winter. The deciduous foliage appears in a rosette and later on the stems. It is medium green, cut, lobed, with a soft texture. The flower stems are upright and branched towards the top, bearing several buds and then several flowers, 5 to 8 per stem. With Thiva®, the flowers are semi-double, 3 to 5 cm wide, in shades of mauve, deep purple to lavender-purple, depending on the stage of opening and the light. The fine and satiny petals have a lightness characteristic of the series. This flowering occurs from April to June, depending on planting date and growing method. The rhizome is not very hardy, around -6 °C in very well-drained soil; protect it or overwinter it frost-free in cold regions.

In the garden, plant Butterfly™ Thiva® in small groups in spring borders, large flowering edges, containers and the cutting garden. Its light flowers call for companions in shades of purple, pink and white. You can combine it with double late tulip ‘Blue Diamond’, deep and velvety, with daffodil ‘Thalia’, for its precious clarity, and lily-flowered tulip ‘Marietta’, whose carmine pink enlivens the whole. For a more nuanced effect, the white double Persian buttercup introduces a delicate contrast. Plant the ranunculus tubers in fertile, light, well-drained soil that stays moist during the growing and flowering period.
By lifting the tubers in autumn before frost, you can grow this plant like a gladiolus.

A bit of horticultural history: Asian ranunculus were grown for a long time in the gardens of the Ottoman Empire before becoming collectors' flowers and then florists' flowers throughout Europe.