They Look Soft, But Ranunculus Carries a Message of Bold, Unshakable Admiration
Ranunculus flowers, with their captivating, delicate petals and vibrant hues, hold a special place in the language of flowers. The name “ranunculus” itself, derived from Latin, playfully means “little frog,” an ode to its natural habitat near water. Beyond their charming etymology, ranunculus flowers are steeped in legend, lore, and symbolic meaning, with a famous Persian tale romanticizing their origin. Symbolically, ranunculus flowers have traditionally been used to express admiration for someone’s attractive qualities.
Etymological Meaning
Ranunculus refers to the entire Ranunculaceae botanical family. They are delicate flowers that originated from Central Asia and eventually reached Europe and other parts of the world.
This beautiful flower naturally grows as abundant as little frogs along streams, which is perhaps why it was named ‘ranunculus.’ The name combines two Latin words, rana, meaning frog, and unculus, which translates to little. Thus, the name ranunculus means ‘little frogs.’
They are also known as buttercup, Persian buttercup, or Coyote eyes.
Myths About Ranunculus Flowers
The name Coyote eyes (sometimes called Coyote’s eyes) originated from the Native Americans. According to a legend, a bored coyote took his eyes out, tossed them into the air, and caught them to entertain himself. While doing this, an eagle quickly plunged and stole the Coyote’s eyes in mid-air. As a result, the blind Coyote roamed around the fields until it found a replacement for his lost eyes – which were two buttercup flowers.
But there’s another famed story. As claimed by a Persian legend, a beautiful nymph caught the heart of a young Persian prince. He sang to her night and day to express his admiration. However, for that reason, the other nymphs became so tired of listening to him sing that they turned him into a ranunculus flower.
Another tale tells of the fate of that young Persian prince. The beautiful nymph rejected the prince. Because he could not endure the heartbreak, the prince died, and a giant ranunculus flower appeared in his place.
Ranunculus Flowers in Floriography
In the language of flowers, a Victorian-era practice that assigned meanings to various flowers to communicate secret messages, ranunculus flowers symbolize radiant charm and attractiveness, suggesting that the recipient is dazzling with charm. This tradition built upon earlier symbolism, reinforcing the flower’s association with enchantment and allure.
Ranunculus Flower Colors
Although ranunculus flowers generally symbolize charm and attractiveness, their different colors convey additional meaning. Because of their many colors, they are suitable as gifts for special occasions like birthdays, promotions, graduations, and anniversaries.
Pink Ranunculus Flowers
In the language of flowers, pink flowers symbolize love, romance, sympathy, and admiration. This symbolism, which fits well with the meaning of ranunculus flowers, makes pink ranunculus blooms the perfect gift for your special someone, close friend, or mother.
Orange Ranunculus Flowers
Is your friend or a family member having a bad week and needing some pick-me-upper? Try sending her a fresh bouquet of orange ranunculus flowers to cheer her up and brighten her day.
Orange flowers symbolize positive energy, joy, and happiness. And with the undeniable beauty of ranunculus flowers, you can quickly turn that not-so-good week into a good one. Also, radiant orange flowers make any area in a home brighter. Therefore, they make a great addition to home decorations.
Red Ranunculus Flowers
Like red roses, a red ranunculus flower symbolizes passion, romantic love, and romance. Instead of giving her the usual red roses for romantic occasions, why don’t you give your wife or girlfriend a charming arrangement of red ranunculus flowers that she could not resist?
These flowers are the perfect gift to express romance, love, and passion to your other half. They are a great gift, with or without a special occasion.
Yellow Ranunculus Flowers
Like orange blooms, yellow flowers symbolize joy and happiness primarily due to their vivid and cheerful hue. They are also a symbol of friendship and positivity. Gifting yellow ranunculus blooms is like bringing comfort and warmth to the recipient.
Moreover, yellow flowers, in general, are a popular choice for gifting flowers at the workplace.
Purple Ranunculus Flowers
Purple ranunculus flowers symbolize royalty, beauty, charm, and elegance, while purple flowers, in general, signify creativity, grace, and refinement. Because of this association, purple ranunculus flowers are excellent gift flowers for someone you value most in your life or for someone you look up to and admire much.
White Ranunculus Flowers
While ranunculus flowers traditionally mean charm, the white color adds just the right amount of elegance, making these blooms even harder to resist.
White ranunculus flowers symbolize elegance, pure love, innocence, and grace. An arrangement of pure white ranunculus blooms is a sure way to let someone special know how much you value her and your relationship.
Besides, these blooms are also magnificent as a gift flower for grandparents, whether it’s their birthday or just to let them know that you appreciate them.
The Charm Magnet
Ranunculus flowers might look innocent with their delicate, paper-thin petals, but they’ve got quite the reputation as charm magnets!
In Victorian times, carrying a ranunculus in your pocket made you instantly more attractive to potential suitors. The multilayered petals were believed to represent layers of charm and magnetism.
Single folks in the 1800s would tuck these flowers into their clothing before social events—the original dating app, if you will!
The Wealth Whisperer
Those tightly packed, swirling ranunculus petals resemble miniature piles of gold and silver coins. This resemblance made them symbols of incoming wealth and prosperity in several cultures.
Persian merchants would decorate their shops with ranunculus to attract financial abundance.
The Sunshine Keeper
Ancient folklore claimed that ranunculus flowers absorbed sunlight and stored it in their petals. People believed you could capture spring sunshine by pressing these flowers between book pages.
During dark winter months, taking out preserved ranunculus supposedly released stored sunlight to brighten mood and home. Early light therapy, flower style! Some gardeners still call them “sunshine catchers” for their mood-lifting properties.
The Gossip Protector
In some European villages, ranunculus planted around homes supposedly protected against malicious gossip.
The flowers were believed to “catch” negative words before they reached the household. Are your neighbors talking behind your back? Just surround yourself with these gossipy little guardians!
Their bright colors were thought to distract tale-tellers and transform negative energy into beauty.
The Memory Preserver
Japanese traditions associate ranunculus with preserving precious memories.
Their ability to maintain shape and color even when dried made them perfect symbols for unfading remembrance. People pressed ranunculus from significant life events—first dates, weddings, births—believing the flowers held those emotional moments intact.
For this very reason, modern memory keepers still include them in scrapbooks and memory jars.
The Healer’s Helper
Despite their toxic wild cousins, cultivated ranunculus varieties were used in traditional healing practices.
Their extract was believed to cool fevers and calm nerves. Healers planted them near sick rooms, believing the flowers absorbed illness while promoting recovery.
While modern medicine has moved on, ranunculus still symbolizes the healing journey—starting tight and closed during illness, gradually opening to full beauty during recovery.
Fun Facts About Ranunculus
Ranunculus flowers, with their enchanting beauty and layered petals, offer a multitude of interesting facets. Here are a few of my favorite fun facts about these delightful blooms:
- Diverse Family: Ranunculus is part of the Ranunculaceae family, which includes about 600 species, encompassing buttercups, spearworts, water crowfoots, and lesser celandine.
- Layered Petals: Ranunculus flowers are known for their lush, multi-layered petals, which give them a peony-like or rose-like appearance, making them highly sought after in floral arrangements.
- Long Vase Life: Cut ranunculus flowers have a remarkably long vase life, often lasting up to 10-12 days with proper care, which includes fresh water and avoiding direct sunlight.
- Tuberous Roots: Unlike many other flowers, ranunculus grows from tubers, which resemble small bunches of bananas. These tubers can be planted in the fall or spring, depending on the climate.
- Popular Wedding Flower: Due to their romantic appearance and wide color palette, ranunculus flowers are a popular choice for wedding bouquets, centerpieces, and decorations.
- Toxicity: While beautiful, ranunculus plants are toxic to humans and animals if ingested, causing irritation and other symptoms, so they should be handled with care, especially around pets and children.
Wrapping Up
The Ranunculus stands out not just for its radiant petals but for the depth of its symbolism and rich history. This flower holds a special place in both horticultural and cultural narratives worldwide. Whether you’re choosing a Ranunculus bouquet to convey a message of charm and attraction or simply admiring its beauty in a garden, this flower offers both stunning ornamental value and rich symbolic meaning.
Madison is a writer and editor with a Bachelor’s degree in History and Political Science. She writes and photographs for various online and print publications in the gardening sphere and is the author of the book The Next-Generation Gardener.