Ficaria verna 'Brazen Hussy'

About this cultivar:

Ficaria verna 'Brazen Hussy', once know as Ranunculus, looks fantastic. This is certainly one of the most talked-about plants we grow in our garden. However it is a bit of a pain in the nursery because it seeds quite a bit with us. Bright yellow flowers on bronze foliage stand out in the spring. The stark contrast between the foliage and flowers is well expressed in the name given by its introducer, the late Christopher Lloyd of Great Dixter.

• Position: Full sun, Partial shade
• Soil: Almost any soil, grows well in Ballyrobert
• Flowers: March, April, May
• Other features: Interesting Foliage or Fruit
• Hardiness: Fully hardy, grows well in Ballyrobert
• Habit: Clump forming
• Foliage: Deciduous
• Height: 5 - 15 cm (0.2 - 0.5 ft)
• Spread: 5 - 15 cm (0.2 - 0.5 ft)
• Time to full growth: 2 to 5 years
• Plant type: Herbaceous Perennial
• Colour: Green, black, yellow
• Goes well with: --

About this genus:

Was once known as Ranunculus, so...

Ranunculus (ra-nun-kul-us) is a large genus of about 600 species of plants in the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). They are mostly herbaceous perennials with bright yellow or white flowers, however quite a few species bred for the cut flower industry have orange or red flowers. Ranunculus usually flower in the spring, but flowers may be found throughout the summer.

The name comes from Latin for "little frog," from rana "frog" and a diminutive ending. This probably refers to many species being found near water. The common name buttercup may derive from a false belief that the plants give butter its characteristic yellow hue (in fact it is poisonous, and horrible to taste, to cows and other livestock).

Long appreciated for their beauty, the herbalist Gerard wrote enthusiastically about the Double White Crowfoot (as he called it) in 1596. The plant is thought to have arrived in Britain about 20 years earlier, brought across by Huguenot refugees fleeing from France. The double form - which occurs naturally - is commonly called Fair Maids of France, after its former home.

Easy to grow on these islands, they tolerate almost any soil that isn't a pond and almost any situation from full-sun to almost full shade. We love them and have a preference for the floriferous cultivars. The species can tend to seed everywhere - you can avoid this by selecting a double-flowered cultivar!