Trollius ranunculoides (Globe Flower)

About

Trollius ranunculoides is a herbaceous perennial in the Ranunculaceae, notable for its rounded, globe-like flowers. It has a fibrous root system and produces blooms in the UK from May to July. Plants in the genus typically favour heavy, wet clay soils and occur in cool temperate parts of the Northern Hemisphere. Fresh material is poisonous to livestock, though the acrid taste usually deters grazing.

About the genus

Trollius is a genus of about 30 species of flowering plants closely related to Ranunculus, in the family Ranunculaceae. The common name of some species is globeflower or globe flower. The generic name is derived from the Swiss-German word "Trollblume", meaning a rounded flower.

Wikipedia contributors, "Trollius", CC BY-SA 4.0 — Trollius

In the garden

Trollius ranunculoides belongs to the globe-flower group within the Ranunculaceae and traces its affinities to cool temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with the genus showing its greatest diversity in Asia. Members of the genus are herbaceous, fibrous-rooted perennials and carry the characteristic rounded blooms that give them their common name. For cultivation, choose a permanently moist spot that stays cool through summer; the genus commonly grows in heavy, wet clay soils and performs where soil moisture is consistent. The fibrous roots suit damp ground, so positions at the edge of ponds, in boggy borders or in naturally heavy clay are appropriate. Keep plants away from grazing livestock because fresh growth is toxic. In the UK garden, place Trollius ranunculoides in damp mixed borders, alongside water features or in a designated bog garden where its globed flowers can be seen from May to July. It can also be included in naturalistic, moisture-retaining schemes where clay soils are a limiting factor. The globe-shaped flowers appear reliably through late spring into midsummer and are the genus’s most recognisable feature.

More in the Trollius genus

Browse all Trollius →