Ranunculus Vs. Peonies

Types of Peony

• Two common types of peony are grown at home: the garden peony and the tree peony. The garden peony is further classified based on the type of flowers it produces. The flowers can be single, meaning there are stamens that produce pollen in the center, or double, which have petals in the center of the bloom. There are also semi-double, anemone and Japanese flowers on garden peonies. Japanese flowers do not produce pollen. Tree peonies form a shrub.

Types of Ranunculus

• There are several types of ranunculus, the most common of which is the Tecolote strain, such as the Persian buttercup. The flowers on the Tecolote strain come in a range of colors, from white to red. The stems are usually between 12 and 18 inches in height. Dwarf strains such as Bloomingdale, which grow between 8 and 10 inches high, are also available. Ranunculus plants are usually poisonous if eaten and can cause dermatitis in some people.

Tubers vs. Tuberous Roots

• Peonies are grown from tubers, or thick stems that have eyes on the exterior. The eyes are the buds of the plant. It's better to plant a tuber that has at least three eyes than one with only an eye or two. You'll get more blooms the more eyes the tuber has. Ranunculus grows from tuberous roots, which are roots instead of bulbs. The plant forms at the top of the tuberous root. Ranunculus roots look like a bunch of bananas.

Care

• Both ranunculus and peony require full sun to grow and thrive in the garden. You can plant ranunculus in containers or in the ground. Peony, which has deep roots, prefers the ground. Right after planting, the tubers or tuberous roots need plenty of water. You should let the soil dry a bit before watering again or wait until the plant emerges to avoid rotting the roots. Add some compost to the top of the soil for peonies in the spring to serve as mulch and provide nutrients.