This small winter growing tuberous perennial was until recently known as Ranunculus ficaria ‘Cupreus’ if you are wondering! It comes up with its green leaves that are marbled with grey and centrally blotched which bronze in mid winter and quite soon after it produces its soft orange buttercups that will continue to erupt until the first warm days and then the whole plant will disappear until next winter. The whole effect sits almost flat to the ground and due to this and its active period being winter it is a great plant under deciduous shrubs and trees to give colour when they are just sticks.
Some will tell you that this is invasive and it can certainly spread around a bit in moist soil, but what can it smother considering its size and season?
I also have a double cream flowered flowered form that could be F. v.‘Double Mud’ as well as ‘Brazen Hussy’ with its black leaves and brilliant yellow flowers and ‘Brambly’ with its black and silver marbled leaves and yellow flowers.
All are worth growing but keep them well away from each other so that they can’t cross pollinate and loose their characteristics.
All are in tubes at $7.50 at the moment.
