Globe Flowers

Trollius
A genus of highly ornamental perennials that are part of the larger Buttercup ( Ranunculacaeae ) family.
Clumps can be divided during autumn. It can also be grown from seed sown in trays immediately upon ripening but they may take up to 2 years to germinate.

Trollius altaicus
A perennial, reaching up to 32 inches x 2 foot, that is native to swampy soils from eastern Europe to Altay Mountains in Siberia, western Mongolia and northwestern China.
The orangish-yellow, buttercup flowers, up to 2 inches across, are borne late spring to early summer.
Hardy zones 3 to 8 in full sun to partial shade on moist soil. Clay tolerant.

* photos of unknown internet source

* excellent photo links
http://www.fotomontaro.com/flora/ranuncula/trollius_altaicus.shtml
http://www.jelitto.com/Seed/Perennials/TROLLIUS-altaicus-Gram.html

Trollius asiaticus ( Asian Globeflower )
A perennial, reaching up to 32 inches x 2 foot, that is native to moist meadows/open woods in Siberia, central Asia, Mongolia and northwestern China.
The fine-toothed leaves are bronze-green.
The orangish-yellow, buttercup flowers, up to 2 inches across, are borne late spring to early summer.
Hardy zones 3 to 8 in full sun to partial shade on moist soil. Clay tolerant.

* photo of unknown internet source

* historic archive photo

Trollius chinensis ( Chinese Globeflower )
Also called Trollius ledebourii. A fast growing, clumping perennial, reaching up to 4 x 4 ( rarely over 3 ) feet, that is native to eastern Siberia and northern China.
The finely-toothed, deeply-lobed leaves, up to 8 x 4 inches in size, are bright green.
The golden-yellow, bowl-shaped flowers, up to 4 inches across, are borne during late spring to early summer ( sometimes with mid-summer repeat bloom ).
Hardy zones 3 to 6 ( tolerating as low as -50 F on protected sites ) in full sun to partial shade on consistantly moist to wet, fertile soil. Cut plants back by half after blooming for lush appearance and sometimes even a repeat bloom later in the summer. Propagation is from division or seed.

* photos taken by Dr. Nick V. Kurzenko @ CalPhotos

'Golden Queen'
Deep orangish-yellow flowers, otherwise identical to species.

* photo taken by Milan Havlis, owner of central Europe's premier plant nursery

'Imperial Orange'
Deep orangish-yellow flowers.

Trollius x cultorum
Also called Trollius x hybrida
A group of clumping perennials, reaching a maximum size of 3.3 x 3.5 feet.
The leaves, up to 6 inches in length, are finely divided into 5 or 6 toothed leaflets. The foliage is glossy deep green.
The yellow to orange flowers, up to 2.4 inches across, are borne during late spring to early summer.
Hardy zones 4 to 6 in full sun to partial shade on moist to wet, fertile, well drained soil.
Plants can be sheared back during mid summer.

* photos of unknown internet source



'Canary Yellow'
Pale yellow flowers.

'Cheddar'
Creamy-white to pale yellow flowers.

'Etna'
A perennial, reaching a maximum height of 5 feet, with deep orange globe flowers.

* photo of unknown internet source


'Fireglobe'
Intense orange-yellow flowers.

'Goldquelle'
Deep yellow, very large flowers.

'Lemon Queen'
Vigorous, reaching up to 3 x 2 feet, with pale yellow, double flowers.

'Orange Crest'
Reaches up to 3 feet, with deep orange flowers.

'Orange Princess'
Reaches up to 3.4 feet, with orange-yellow flowers.
Exceptionally hardy, it thrives even in much of Alberta, Canada.

'Salamander'
Vigorous with deep orange flowers.

Trollius europaeus ( European Globeflower )
A sturdy, dense clumping perennial, reaching up to 3 x 3.5 feet, that is native to Europe ( from the British Isles to northern Russia; south to the Alps to Romania to the Caucasus ). Generally found in meadows and open woods, it is largely restricted to mountains in the southern reaches of its natural range.
The leaves, up to 6 inches in length, are finely-diveded into 5 leaflets. The foliage is bright green.
The large, bright yellow globe-flowers, up to 2 inches across, are borne during late spring, then sporadically all summer.
Hardy zones 3 to 8, it thrives in harsh climates, even including Alberta, Canada. It requires full sun to partial shade on moist, light, deep, fertile, well drained soil. It is not as wet tolerant as other species.

* historical archive photo

Trollius laxus ( American Globeflower )
A clumping perennial, native to the Rocky Mountains of western North America. It is rare to endangered in eastern North America where it is found from New York State to northwestern Connecticut; south to Ohio to Pennsylvania to New Jersey.
The foliage is glossy deep green.
The flowers are bright yellow.

* photo of unknown internet source


Trollius pumilus ( Dwarf Globeflower )
A small perennial, reaching up to 1.5 x 1.5 ( rarely over 1 ) feet, that is native to the Himalayas ( from Nepal to western China ). A great plant for the rock garden, it can also be used for edging.
The leaves are up to 2 inches wide.
The showy, flat, golden-yellow flowers, up to 1.5 inches wide, are borne all summer long.
Hardy zones 3 to 6 in full sun to partial shade on moist, well drained soil, it thrives in harsh climates even including Alberta, Canada.

Trollius yunnanensis ( Yunnan Globeflower )
An upright, clumping perennial, reaching a maximum size of 32 x 18 inches, that is native to mountain meadows in southwestern China.
The 3 or 5 lobed leaves are up to 4 inches in length. The foliage is glossy mid-green.
The single, bright yellow flowers, up to 2 inches across, are borne during early summer.
Hardy zones 5 to 8 in full sun to partial shade on fertile, moist, humus-rich, well drained soil.

Related Plants

RANUNCULUS

Ranunculus aconitifolius ( Aconite Buttercup )
A perennial, reaching up to 3 x 1.5 ( rarely over 2 ) feet, that is native to meadows in mountains of central Europe.
The toothed and 3 or 5 lobed leaves are mid-green.
The small white flowers, up to 1 inch wide, are borne on clusters during late spring into early summer.
Hardy zones 5 to 8 in part shade on moist, fertile soil.

* historical archive photo

'Flore Pleno'
Double flowers, otherwise similar.

Ranunculus acris ( Common Buttercup )
A very fast growing to rampant perennial, reaching up to 3.5 x 3 feet. It is a widespread native of northern Eurasia ( from the British Isles to Siberia and Japan; it is also found on parts of Greenland ). The leaves, up to 4 inches wide, are divided into 5 ( rarely 3 or 7 ) segments.
The golden-yellow, cup-shaped flowers, up to 1 inch wide, are borne during late spring, sometimes into early summer.
Hardy zones 3 to 7 in full sun to partial shade.
Pharmacology: poisonous to humans and animals as are the rest of Ranunculus.

* USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

* photos taken on May 6 2015 in Elkridge, MD

'Multiplex'
Double yellow flowers, otherwise similar.

'Stevenii'
Reaches up to 4 feet, with yellow flowers that can either be single or semi-double.
Less invasive than species.

Ranunculus asiaticus ( Persian Buttercup )
A tuberous perennial, reaching up to 2 feet in height, that is native to the eastern Mediterranean region including Greece, far southwest Asia and northeast Africa.
The ferny foliage is mid-green.
The flowers ( up to 5 inches across on 'Tecolote Giants ) are borne over a long period during spring.
Hardy zones 8 to 10, in colder climates the bulbs are lifted and stored during the winter. It prefers full sun on moist, sandy, very well drained soil. The tubers are planted 2 inches deep and 8 inches apart after being soaked overnight.

* photos taken on April 9 2012 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Apr 2 2015 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on May 6 2015 in Columbia, MD

Ranunculus constantino 'Plenus'
An impressive, clumping perennial, reaching a maximum size of 30 x 32 inches, that is native to southeastern Europe ( Romania to the Caucasus; south to Greece to Syria to the Crimean Peninsula ).
The very handsome, deeply-incised, 3-lobed foliage, up to 15 inches tall, is very glossy green.
The double flowers are golden-yellow.
Hardy zones 4 to 9 in partial to full shade. Wet tolerant.

Ranunculus ficaria ( Lesser Celandine )
A very fast spreading perennial, reaching up to 1 foot in height. It has naturalized in the Pacific Northwest and in much of temperate eastern North America where it has become a noxious weed in moist woodland and shaded riverbanks. It is native to Europe.
The smooth-edged or scalloped, rounded leaves are up to 1.5 x 1.6 inches in size. The foliage is glossy bright green. The foliage dies down by late spring with the plant going dormant until the following spring.
The bright yellow flowers appear very early spring and often last for 1.5 months or more. The entire plant goes dormant soon after blooming, not appearing again until the following year. They are great to mix with perennials that are late emerging in spring.
Hardy zones 3 to 8 in full sun or deciduous shade. It requires moist soil while actively growing but is drought tolerant during the remainder of the year. It is easy to propagate from seed and often doesn't need much help to do so.

* USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

* photos taken on Apr 23 2014 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Apr 30 2015 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Apr 14 2017 @ Patuxent Research Refuge, Laurel, MD

* photos taken on Apr 10 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Mar 13 2024 in Columbia, MD

'Brazen Hussy'
Foliage is purplish-black.
The pale yellow flowers contrast nicely.

'Coppernob'
Foliage is purplish-black.
The flowers are orange at first, turning to pale yellow then finally fading to white.

'Primrose'
Flowers open pale yellow then fade to creamy-white.

'Randall's White'
A single flowering white form.

'Tortoiseshell'
Foliage is handsomely marbled green, purple and gray.

Ranuncularis repens ( Creeping Buttercup )
A fast spreading, low, spreading perennial. The creeping stems root at the nodes. It is found in ditches and river plains. It is native nearly throughout Europe and northern & central Asia. It is also native throughout southern Canada and the northern U.S. It is found to as far north as Fort McMurray in Alberta.

'Buttered Popcorn'
A very fast growing, low, spreading perennial, reaching up to 1 x 10 feet in size.
It makes an excellent vigorous groundcover and is known to reach as much as 6 feet across in just 6 weeks. .
The striking, toothed foliage is variegated yellow in the center as well as on the broad margin.
Hardy zones 3b to 9 in full sun to partial shade, requiring consistently moist to wet soil.

'Pleniflorus'
A very fast spreading, mat-forming, groundcover perennial, reaching a maximum size of 1 x 10 feet. The stems root as they touch the ground.
It makes a great groundcover for wet swampy sites.
The foliage is glossy bright green.
The double, bright yellow, buttercup flowers are borne during summer.
Hardy zones 4 to 9 in full sun to partial shade on fertile, moist to wet soil.

* historic archive photo

Ranunculus montanus ( Mountain Buttercup )
A rapid spreading, groundcover perennial, reaching up to 6 inches in height, that is native to the European Alps.
The leaves are 3 or 5 parted.
The golden-yellow flowers, up to 1 inch wide, are borne during spring.
Hardy zones 5 to 8.

'Molten Gold'
Flowers larger than species, otherwise identical.

Ranunculus yakusimanus
A mat-forming perennial, with deep green foliage that is veined silver.
It makes a great rock garden plant.
The bright yellow flowers, up to 0.5 inches across, are borne atop stalks up to 3 feet high. The flowers are borne over a long season.
Hardy zones 3 to 7 in full sun to partial shade.