CULTURE OF RANUNCULUS ASIATICUS L. IN THE HUMID SUBTROPICAL ZONE OF RUSSIA, USE IN LANDSCAPING

Persian buttercup (Ranunculus asiaticus L.) is a perennial herb that belongs to ephemeroids. The plant has fleshy, bundle-like, joint-sitting root stalks with numerous tubers 2–2.5 cm long, roller-shaped, colloquially referred to as “hooves”. The homeland of Persian buttercup is Syria, Iran, Asia Minor and Southeast Europe. Planting of ranunculus rhizomes in the humid subtropics of the Black Sea coast was carried out in the autumn months (October). The budding of the studied plants was recorded in late March – early April. Duration of flowering among cultivar populations was on average 53 days in the ground, and in the bin filler – 48 days. The end of the growing season in the bin filler was noted already at the beginning of June, while in the ground, the end of the growing season was recorded only in late June. The largest number of buds was noted on the red cultivar population - up to six when planted in the ground. In yellow and orange cultivars, this indicator does not change depending on growing conditions.