- origin
- growth
- leaves
- blossom
- heyday
- fruit
- Which location is suitable?
- What is the best planting time?
- The right planting distance
- water the ranunculus bush
- Fertilize ranunculus properly
- Properly cut the ranunculus bush
- Diseases
- Brown spots
- Propagate ranunculus
- Is ranunculus poisonous?
- sorts
The ranunculus shrub, with its yolk-yellow, many flowers in spring, is an extremely cheerful, simple and pretty appearance. In addition, it is also extremely frugal and only needs a little trimming here and there.
The ranunculus shrub inspires with its golden rosettes
Table of Contents
Show all- origin
- growth
- leaves
- blossom
- heyday
- fruit
- Which location is suitable?
- What is the best planting time?
- The right planting distance
- water the ranunculus bush
- Fertilize ranunculus properly
- Properly cut the ranunculus bush
- Diseases
- Brown spots
- Propagate ranunculus
- Is ranunculus poisonous?
- sorts
- Regular pruning necessary for a respectable shrub contour
- Shape cut not really possible due to strong sparse growth
- Instead: Thin out immediately after flowering
- Radical pruning is well tolerated
- only the seeds of the ranunculus are indirectly toxic due to the formation of hydrocyanic acid during metabolism
- quite critical for young children
- even more dangerous for cats and dogs
- Prevention: Prevention of seed-bearing fruit formation by timely pruning
origin
The botanical name of the Ranunculus shrub is Kerria japonica - in German also Japanese Kerrie. So its area of origin in East Asia is not difficult to guess. The rose family is monotypic, i.e. it has no subspecies within its genus. In Central Europe, the ranunculus shrub, which is also called golden rose because of its yolk-yellow, pretty flowers, thrives very well according to its original habitat, which is not particularly different in terms of climate. It is frost-resistant and can therefore be planted permanently in the garden without any problems. The shrub is also popular as an ornament in public parks.
growth
The ranunculus bush shows a very bushy growth with sparsely branching side shoots. As a result, it can quickly appear somewhat unstructured and is not necessarily suitable for dense topiary hedges. Rather, you benefit from its airy, casual branch structure for a cheerful spring garden design if you plant it alone or in loose proximity to other shrubs. Overall, the gold rose reaches a moderate height of about one to two meters. It forms long root suckers and is generally fairly easy to care for.
leaves
In addition to the pretty, cheerful flowers, the foliage of the ranunculus bush is also very decorative. The light green leaves are alternate on the branches and have an elongated, triangular shape with a long, supple tip. The edge is sharply double-serrated and the pronounced leaf veining gives the leaves a distinctive surface structure. Since the foliage sprout early in the year, the ranunculus shrub offers a good opportunity to green the garden soon after winter. In summer, when flowering stops, the fresh green foliage plays the leading role in the appearance of the ranunculus bush.
blossom
From its yolk-yellow, open-faced flowers, Kerria japonica gets both its common name of ranunculus (due to its resemblance to those of the buttercup) and its nickname of golden rose. They appear in spring and persist into early summer. There are five-fold, plate-shaped cup flowers with a diameter of about three to 6 centimeters. The flowers of the wild form have many stamens and are simple - some cultivated forms, however, are filled like a rosette.
heyday
The flowers open in April and last well into June with their golden yellow color and pretty shape. This means that the ranunculus bush is, so to speak, a replacement for the forsythia that immediately preceded it and also bloomed yellow. The shrub often blooms again in autumn, especially the Kerria Pleniflora variety.
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fruit
In the summer between June and August, small, inconspicuous stone fruits ripen on the Kerrie. They are brown-black in color and have wrinkled skin.
Which location is suitable?
As cheerful and light-hearted as the tendril shrub looks, it is also carefree when it comes to location. It has no special requirements either for the floor or for the light supply. It thrives on both slightly acidic and alkaline soils, provided they are reasonably permeable and fresh. He tolerates a place in the sun as well as a place in the shade of a tree - perhaps he prefers light semi-shade. Because in full sun its flowers may fade a little.
The resistance of the ranunculus shrub to exhaust fumes is also interesting for gardens that border busy roads or for planting in commercial areas.
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What is the best planting time?
It is best to plant a ranunculus bush in spring. To prevent excessive spread, installing a root barrier is worth considering. You can put the root ball in water for better growth before planting.
The right planting distance
Keep a distance of about half a meter to a meter from neighboring trees, depending on whether you are planning a cut hedge or a solitary position.
water the ranunculus bush
The Ranunculus shrub is a flat-rooted plant and may therefore need additional watering during longer, hot dry periods. Otherwise, no special watering is necessary outdoors.
Fertilize ranunculus properly
The ranunculus shrub does not actually need to be fertilized. Let it grow as naturally as possible, because if there is an oversupply of nitrogen, it can be trimmed for growth in such a way that the beautiful flowering does not occur. If you want to do something good for the shrub and make it more resistant to diseases, you can give it a little compost in the spring.
Properly cut the ranunculus bush
Due to its strong sparse growth, the ranunculus shrub can quickly appear a little unkempt without pruning. Because of its rod-shaped branches, you will not be able to keep the shrub compact. Nevertheless, you should regularly show it its limits a little so that it does not become bare from the inside and does not suck the soil too much.
Since a shape cut is basically pointless, the principle of clearing out cuts applies to the ranunculus bush. So remove old branches and unsightly growing shoots regularly, preferably right after flowering. Since the Kerrie has a strong tendency to sprout, you should also cut off excess sprout from time to time - preferably before they have taken root. The ranunculus also tolerates a rejuvenation cure by a radical pruning.
The cutting rules at a glance:
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Diseases
The Kerrie is not only extremely frugal in terms of location, but also very resistant to diseases and pests. In warm, humid weather, however, it may be attacked by fungi. Above all, powdery mildew and blackspot are a risk.
mildew
In the case of powdery mildew, the leaves are covered by a mealy coating that gives it its name. They later turn brown-black, dry up and fall off.
You can fight mildew first of all by consistently removing all affected leaves. Do not dispose of them in the compost, but in the residual waste, because the spores can overwinter on organic material. A spray treatment made from diluted milk is also suitable for combating this. In the case of advanced and stubborn infestation, you can also use a fungicide, preferably based on neem oil.
blackspot
This fungus commonly targets rose plants and is manifested by blackish-brown spots on the leaves that radiate out. The leaves then yellow and are discarded. Further consequences are a reduction or even a complete absence of flowering and weakened lignification - this in turn reduces the frost hardiness of the shrub, so that it can die off in the long run. The blackspot should therefore not be underestimated.
Unfortunately, fighting the fungus is not easy. As with powdery mildew, you should first carefully remove all diseased leaves and dispose of them in the household waste. Then apply a spray treatment with a fungicide or with gentler agents in the form of horsetail tea or nettle manure.
The blackspot fungal spores are very stubborn and difficult to eradicate completely. To prevent spread, cover the ground around the shrub with ash or wood shavings and always remove fallen leaves thoroughly. In principle, it is also advisable to protect the shrub prophylactically against infestation by strengthening it with a good supply of nutrients and keeping the leaves as dry as possible. In this way you do not offer the fungus any damp settlement conditions. So only water the root area during dry periods.
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Brown spots
Brown spots on the leaves and possibly also on the branches are signs of fungal diseases. See the Diseases section for more information.
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Propagate ranunculus
foothills
The easiest way to propagate your ranunculus shrub is to use its willing and numerous foothills. All you have to do is carefully pull a rooted specimen out of the ground and put it back in the desired location.
cuttings
Another option is the cuttings method. Between June and September you can take about 10 cm long top cuttings from the upper part of the shrub. If you think about it in June, when the annual pruning is due anyway, you can simply take suitable cuttings from the clippings. They can simply be rooted in a glass of water.
seed
The third propagation variant is seed sowing. However, it is time-consuming and rather tedious and, given the simple alternatives, not recommended. It is best to place the seeds in early spring in planting trays with potting soil and keep the substrate evenly moist. Germination can take a few weeks. You can then replant the young plants and put them outside from May, provided that the risk of late frosts has been averted.
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Is ranunculus poisonous?
Ranunculus is partially poisonous to humans. Its seeds contain, like some other rose plants, the cyanogenic glycoside amygdalin, which is metabolized and splits off hydrocyanic acid. Excessive consumption can lead to slight symptoms of poisoning, which are usually limited to nausea and vomiting. If small children live in your household or come to visit you often, you should be vigilant and, if necessary, prevent fruit with seeds from forming by pruning in good time.
The toxicity is not insignificant for cats and dogs, simply because the effective dose is smaller due to the low body mass. In addition, the four-legged friends are less able to metabolize hydrocyanic acid than humans, so that increased consumption of ranunculus seeds can lead to vomiting and severe energy metabolism disorders such as shortness of breath. See a veterinarian as soon as possible.
To remember:
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tips
If you want to plant the ranunculus shrub as a loose, light flowering hedge, the red dogwood is particularly suitable as a neighboring shrub. Because in the bleak winter, its red branches and green shoots of the ranunculus bush provide an attractive play of colors and structures.
sorts
Although the ranunculus is the only species of the genus Kerria, there are a few different cultivars. These are divided mainly in terms of simple and double flowers. Personal taste decides here - the varieties do not differ significantly in terms of location and care requirements.
Varieties with single flowers
*Kerria japonica Simplex*:
The Kerria japonica Simplex is probably the best-known and most common variety of the single-flowering ranunculus shrubs. It also most closely resembles the wild form, captivating with its five-petalled, plate-shaped, golden-yellow flowers of simple beauty that appear in April. The Kerria japonica Simplex grows up to a meter high and expands up to two and a half meters in width. It is well suited for light flower hedge plantings. It should be wiped out regularly.
As a planting ground, it prefers a permeable, medium-moist and moderately nutrient-rich soil. The Kerria japonica Simplex is a semi-shade-loving variety and also tolerates full shade. Full sun, on the other hand, can bleach its flowers.
*Kerria japonica Golden Guinea*:
This variety also has simple, but slightly larger flowers than the Simplex variety. They appear in the same golden yellow in a somewhat more limited period from April to May. With their relatively good pollen supply, they are also interesting for insects. The shrub grows a little tighter: it grows to a height of one and a half to two meters, but remains comparatively narrow at a maximum of 1.20 meters.
Kerria japonica Golden Guinea is a little more sun loving than Simplex and does well in sun or partial shade. She has no special demands on the soil.
*Kerria japonica Picta*:
The Picta variety is a little less well known. Its flowers are quite large and yolk yellow and open between April and the end of May. There is often a second flowering in late summer to autumn. You can promote this by pruning after spring flowering. The Kerria japonica Picta has a special additional charm with its variegated leaves. This makes it a very decorative sight even during the flowerless summer.
The Picta is rather short and wide in growth - it only reaches a meter in height and about 1.30 meters in width.
The strain thrives best in well-drained, moderately moist, fresh soil that can range from alkaline to slightly acidic. In terms of light supply, penumbra is best for them.
Varieties with double flowers
*Kerria japonica Pleniflora*:
The name of this variety says it all: its flowers appear particularly rich, not only in number, but also in their fullness. With the lush, bright yellow, feathery, ball-shaped rosettes, it is a particularly attractive flower arrangement that you can look forward to in spring between May and June and then again in late summer to autumn.
Its ornamental value makes the Kerria japonica Pleniflora a suitable solitary shrub, but it also looks good in a flowering hedge. It doesn't branch out much, but regular pruning can prevent balding and still achieve quite good opacity. In addition, she is quite vigorous. In height, the pleniflora reaches about one and a half to two meters, in width up to one meter. The twigs overhang slightly when older.
As a location, the variety prefers a sunny to semi-shady place and well-drained soil without a particular pH value tendency.