How to Care for Ranunculus

Ranunculus look like small peonies made of tissue paper: layer after layer of thin petals that open slowly over several days. With good care they usually last 5 to 7 days in the vase, sometimes a little longer when they arrive as tight buds. The one thing that matters most is their soft, hollow stems: keep them cool, clean and never left without water.

When your ranunculus arrive

1. Unpack the arrangement right away and set it somewhere cool, out of direct sun. If a doorman held the delivery, check the water as soon as it comes upstairs.
2. Look at the water level in the vase. Most of our vase designs sit in water, not foam, so top the vase up with cool tap water.
3. Add the flower food packet we include with every order, mixed into the water as the packet directs.
4. Leave the design as it is for the first day. Ranunculus stems bend and crease easily, so try not to pull them in and out.
5. Ranunculus in green foam need the foam kept wet; don't tug the stems out.

For a hand-tied bouquet, fill a clean vase with cool water and the flower food. Remove the wrap, cut about an inch off each stem at an angle with a sharp knife or clean scissors, strip any leaves that would sit under water, and put the stems in right away. If you add them to your own spring flowers, keep freshly cut daffodils out of the same vase; their sap shortens the life of other flowers. Choose a vase that holds them upright without crowding, so the soft stems don't bruise.

Everyday care

• Refill the vase daily; a mixed arrangement can drink a lot in warm rooms.
• Replace the water every 2 days or so, sooner if it clouds, and add fresh flower food.
• Each time you change the water, trim about half an inch off the stems with a clean, sharp blade.
• Keep them away from radiators, steam heat, sunny south windows and the direct blast of an air conditioner or heater vent.
• Keep them away from the fruit bowl. Ripening fruit gives off ethylene gas, and ranunculus are sensitive to it.
• Water the stems, not the flowers. Wet petals invite gray mold, so skip misting.
• Turn the vase every day or two. Ranunculus lean toward the light.

Make them last longer

Ranunculus have soft, hollow stems. In a vase of ranunculus on their own, there is no need to fill it to the brim; a few inches of fresh water is enough and easier to keep clean; in a mixed arrangement, keep the level we set and simply top it up. When you trim, cut cleanly and don't mash or split the stems, since crushed hollow stems break down faster.

Cool is their friend. Florists store ranunculus at 34 to 38°F, and at home a cool room slows them down so the buds open gradually instead of all at once. If you are out during the day, a spot away from the sunny window makes a real difference. A cooler bedroom at night is a good trick too.

Take out any flower that has faded, and pull off yellowing leaves. Tired blooms and decaying leaves feed bacteria in the water, which then clog the other stems. For the general routine that works for every flower in the vase, see our guide to making cut flowers last.

Skip the home remedies: sugar, soda, aspirin, pennies and bleach are no substitute for the flower food packet, which is made to feed the flowers and hold back bacteria at the same time.

Common problems

Why are my ranunculus drooping or bending?

Their soft stems bend easily, and a drooping head usually means the flower can't drink. Top up or change the water, give the stem a fresh, clean cut, and make sure it sits in water. Some gentle curving toward the light is normal; turning the vase helps.

Why won't the buds open?

Ranunculus open slowly over several days, and tight green buds may never open fully. Give them a few days at normal room temperature with fresh water and flower food. The round, soft buds with color showing are the ones that will unfurl.

Why are the stems turning soft or brown at the bottom?

That is stem rot, usually from water that has gone stale. Change the water, trim above the soft part, and wash the vase if you are arranging them yourself.

Why do the petals have brown or gray spots?

That is often gray mold, which starts where petals stay damp. Remove the affected flowers, keep water off the blooms and give the arrangement a little air. If flowers arrive damaged, call us within 3 days with your order number and a photo, as our refund policy explains, and we'll take a look and make it right where we can.

Good to know

• Pets: the ASPCA lists ranunculus (buttercup) as toxic to dogs, cats and horses. The plant contains an irritant (protoanemonin), and chewing it can cause drooling, mouth sores, vomiting and diarrhea. Place the vase out of reach of pets, and call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center if you suspect one has chewed it. More in our pet-safe flowers guide.
• Scent and pollen: ranunculus have little or no fragrance and don't shed much pollen, so they are an easy choice for a small apartment or an office desk.
• Colors you may see from us: white ranunculus with hot pink roses in Darling, yellow ranunculus with yellow callas in Sunburst, white ranunculus in the hand-tied Good Vibes bouquet and peach ranunculus in Masquerade.
• Season: ranunculus are a cool-season flower, at their best from late winter through spring from local growers; imported stems extend the season. For what is in today, call the shop.
• Meaning: they are often given to say "you are charming," which suits a first date or a thank-you. If you love the look, the peony care guide covers their bigger cousin in style.