Buttercup Picotee Flower Bulbs

Description

• The delicate, showy blossoms seen on buttercups have numerous petals and an appearance comparable to crepe paper. Flowers are produced on long narrow stems reaching up to 2 feet high. The plants extend to about 8 inches in width with mounding, green leaves. They have delicate foliage and tough, tuberous roots. As a tender or semi-hardy perennial, these flowers are unlikely to survive once temperature dip down to about 28 F, but they thrive in moderate climate conditions.

Planting

• Select larger bulbs to produce more flowers. Bulbs range in size from 2 to 3 inches. They are planted outdoors by mid-April in USDA plant hardiness zones 6 and 7, or in mid-May in zones 4 and 5, resulting in a summer bloom. In mild winter climates of zones 8 through 11, they may also be planted in fall for a spring bloom. Bulbs are planted with the claw-like end pointed down at a 1- to 3-inch depth in the soil, spaced 3 to 8 inches apart. Keep the bed moist but avoid waterlogged soil. When storing the roots, keep them dry and at a cool temperature of 50 to 55 F.

Care

• Picotee buttercups require full sun to thrive. They do not tolerate frost and are injured at temperatures a few degrees below freezing.. They also don't require a cold period to propagate, but they prefer temperatures below 60 F in the day and around 50 F at night. Provide consistent moisture as the plant is growing. Foliage will die off in summertime, helping the plant tolerate drought. When young plants are growing, you may find it necessary to protect the foliage with screens to prevent birds from feasting.

Blooming

• Blooms of the Persian buttercup Picotee are vivid, with large, double-ruffled blossoms that add color to a garden in winter and spring. To boost blooms through summertime, remove the spent, or dried, blossoms. For a continuous color show, plant alongside tall snapdragons, daffodils or Iceland poppies, which bloom earlier. Persian buttercups bloom for about five weeks, making them ideal for cutting and placing in vases. Cut them early in the morning, provide fresh water, and feed them with a flower preservative to keep blooms looking fresh.