Ranunculus, Latin for ‘little frog’ because a lot of them prefer swampy areas, came originally from central Asia and finally ended up in Europe in the late sixteenth century. They perform best where winters are quite mild and springs are long and cool. The Ranunculaceae group contains around 400 species of annuals, biennials and perennials; many are cultivated while others are found a lot in the wild. These plants are very hardy and will grow in a wide range of conditions. They produce showy red, pink, purple, yellow, orange, or white blooms on compact stems with a ruffled pompon-like flower.
Blokker grows the cultivated form of the common buttercup, called the Ranunculus Asiaticus. New to the company, the Ranunculus are a trial crop at the moment. 5000 seedlings get planted every month, from January through to July. Harvesting goes ‘till Christmas, where they get picked 2 to 3 times a week.
