Ranunculus aconitifolius

Perennial of the Ranunculaceae family, Ranunculus aconitifolius is a species of the mountains of Central and Southern Europe, present in the Alps, the Pyrenees, the Apennines, and the Carpathians. It occupies high-altitude tall herb communities, stream banks, wet meadows, and cool undergrowth, generally between 800 and 2,200 meters, on rich, deep, and constantly moist soils.

It forms vigorous upright and bushy clumps, reaching 40 to 80 cm in height. The leaves are palmatilobed to palmatisect, deeply cut into three to five lanceolate and toothed lobes, of a bright and shiny green, which indeed resemble the foliage of an aconite, hence the species name.

The flowers are white, small, with five rounded petals, gathered in very dense branched cymes that abundantly cover the plant at the time of flowering. In its natural habitat, its flowering extends from May to July depending on the altitude. In cultivation, it generally blooms from May to June.

The double horticultural form 'Flore Pleno', known as silver button, has been cultivated in gardens since at least the 16th century and remains appreciated for its fully double, pure white flowers, of great durability.

In cultivation, it requires a deep, cool to moist soil, rich in humus, in shade or partial shade. It does not tolerate summer drought and is suitable for moist woodland gardens and the edges of water features.