Ranunculus bullatus

[Darren]

Autumn flowering summer-dormant species illustrated in the new 'Rock Garden'. Does anyone have material of this to spare? All sorts of things to swap.

Darren.

[mark smyth]

I did have spare. I'll knock out the pot later

[mark smyth]

I forgot, sorry.

This autumn they havent appeared. I'll empty the pot when it thaws and see what I have

[Darren]

Thanks Mark - no worries. Hope they have survived for you though.

[mark smyth]

  Knocked out the pot today. Sadly all three are dead. It's quite puzzling why they should survive last winter but die while dormant.

Do you grow R. psilostachys? I have some just coming back in to growth

[Darren]

Sorry to hear that Mark.

Never heard of R. psilostachys - do  you have a pic?

[mark smyth]

In a pot it never did very well - for me anyway. Once released in to a small raised bed from which it can't escape it did very well. It so far runs slightly, has lovely soft grey hairy leaves and excellent very shiny yellow flowers with a greenish centre. I cant remember how high it grows but it's at least 30cm. It grows from 'bulbs' very similar to the double Ranunculus seen in garden centres

[Darren]

What a nice plant Mark.

[mark smyth]

I got it in April 2008, removed and potted some 'bulbs' and planted it that summer. In the last two years it hasnt spread far. Cliff told me he grows his in a pot. If you want a couple I'll send them when the snow goes. 

[Darren]

I would like - thank you! 

[Darren]

My SRGC seed allocation included a generous packet of wild collected R. bullatus seed

Now I just need to germinate them.

They don't actually look much like ranunculus seed at first glance but perhaps this is normal for the species.

[ranunculus]

Hi Darren,
I hope you are successful ... R. bullatus will never win prizes at an alpine show but is an interesting addition to any collection.  Autumn flowering on Malta.

http://www.maltawildplants.com/RANU/Ranunculus_bullatus.php

[Darren]

Thanks Cliff,

The pictures in the rock garden showed it flowering on very short stems in rock crevices and looking quite attractive. Pictures I've seen elsewhere suggest longer stems are more usual and are certainly more likely here in the cloudy North West of England...

Still - I'll give it a whirl and if it proves to be autumn flowering here then it will at least be interesting.

[Darren]

Update - I sowed half the seed a month ago and kept half to sow in autumn (when I would normally sow summer-dormant species). The ones I sowed are already germinating 

[mark smyth]

Thats fast!

Darren pm me your address to send the R. psilostachys