Ranunculus Romance Perigord®

Ranunculus Romance Perigord® Bulbs

“Japanese Premium Romance™ Series Ranunculus – Multi Bloom Stem – Florist Grade”

Ranunculus Romance Perigord® belongs to the advanced Romance™ breeding collection, an elite Japanese breeding program developed for the professional floriculture industry where flower architecture, stem strength, post-harvest longevity, and premium cut flower performance take priority over conventional ornamental breeding objectives.

Unlike standard Ranunculus asiaticus cultivars commonly grown for seasonal bedding displays or general ornamental garden use, the Romance™ collection was specifically developed to produce florist-grade plants capable of generating exceptional flower quality suitable for luxury floral design and high-end international flower markets.

Perigord® is one of the most visually dramatic and botanically distinctive cultivars within the Romance™ collection. The variety begins with unusually dark near-black flower buds, among the darkest bud pigmentation observed in modern ranunculus breeding. As flowering progresses, the blooms gradually open into exceptionally rich deep maroon flowers, often displaying dark wine-purple undertones. Under strong sunlight and later stages of floral maturity, the flower pigmentation may gradually shift toward deeper red tones, creating an unusually complex and continuously evolving color transformation throughout the flowering cycle.

The flowers develop a densely layered floral structure strongly resembling luxury Peony-type blooms, creating exceptional fullness, depth, and structural complexity. While Perigord® produces a slightly smaller flower size compared with several other cultivars within the Romance™ series, this characteristic is offset by its particularly refined flower shape, elegant architecture, and unusually atmospheric dark coloration that gives the cultivar a uniquely sophisticated visual identity rarely encountered in commercial ranunculus production.

A distinctive physical characteristic of Perigord® is the presence of a subtle natural wax coating on the petals, creating a gentle reflective shimmer across the densely layered bloom surface. This wax-coated petal structure contributes not only to the flower’s luxurious appearance by enhancing the visual depth of the dark maroon pigmentation, but also significantly improves structural durability and extends post-harvest vase longevity after cutting.

Among all currently known Romance™ cultivars, Perigord® is particularly recognized by professional growers for being one of the most productive flowering cultivars with one of the longest blooming periods within the entire Romance™ breeding collection. This exceptional flowering productivity, combined with its dramatic dark color transformation and excellent vase life, makes it highly valuable for professional florists seeking unusual luxury cultivars capable of producing extended harvest windows.

Under optimal cultivation conditions, flowers may reach approximately up 11 cm in diameter, significantly exceeding conventional ranunculus cultivars commonly available in mass-market production. Combined with long florist-grade stems, extended flowering productivity, exceptional vase life, and one of the darkest color expressions found within the Romance™ breeding program, Perigord® represents one of the most sophisticated elite Japanese ranunculus genetics currently available in premium international floriculture markets.

Variety Details

• Botanical Name: Ranunculus asiaticus
• Series: Romance™
• Cultivar: Perigord®
• Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial grown from premium corms
• Family: Ranunculaceae
• Uses: Premium cut flower production, containers, landscaping
• Flower Color: Dark black flower buds gradually opening into deep maroon flowers
• Flower Size: Up to 11 cm under ideal conditions
• Flower Form: Large peony-like layered bloom
• Stem Quality: Long strong florist stems
• Crop Type: Cool season flowering crop

Key Features

• Premium Romance™ Japanese genetics
• Giant flowers reaching up to 11 cm
• Luxurious peony-like bloom architecture
• Dramatic color transition into deep maroon blooms
• Long strong florist-grade stems
• Developed specifically for luxury cut flower production
• Excellent vase longevity
• Significantly larger flowers than standard ranunculus
• Elite collector-grade cultivar

Germination Instructions

• Romance series ranunculus requires a longer pre-sprouting period than standard or Butterfly series corms — allow 3–4 weeks for corm sprouting before transplanting, as the larger, chunkier Romance corms take more time to activate.
• Before planting, soak the dry claw-shaped corms in room-temperature water for 3 hours only — no longer, as over-soaking causes rot. Plant the corms claws-down at a depth of 10 cm, spacing 5–10 cm apart, in light, rich, well-drained soil.
• Do not water immediately after planting — wait until the first shoots emerge above soil level before beginning regular watering, as overwatering dormant corms is the most common cause of rot.
• Crop time is 8–12 weeks growing and 10 weeks flowering depending on location and temperature conditions.
• For maximum bloom development, allow the flowers to begin opening before harvesting — the three-stage color evolution of Perigord® from near-black bud to deep maroon to red makes the timing of harvest particularly interesting, as each stage offers a distinct and beautiful cooler character.
• Use a knife or snippers to cut the stem at ground level — never pull the stems from the corm. In Kuwait, plant corms directly outdoors in October once temperatures have moderated. Flowering typically follows 90–120 days after planting.

Growing Tips

• Timing the harvest makes a big difference with Romance varieties.
• For Perigord® specifically, the three-stage colour evolution creates three distinct harvest opportunities — harvesting at the near-black bud stage delivers the most dramatic, moody character; harvesting as the bud begins to open and the deep maroon layers become visible captures the transition at its most visually complex; and allowing full opening to the deep maroon reveals the complete flower in its richest form.
• In full sun, the mature bloom will continue to evolve toward red as it ages — a characteristic that adds additional variety to a single stem’s visual story across its vase life.
• The petals have a small layer of wax that gives them a sparkling appearance and a long vase life.
• Store cut stems in cold water at 1–4°C until use. Perigord® performs best in full sun to partial shade with cool growing temperatures — cold cultivation free from frost.
• Water consistently once growth is established, keeping soil evenly moist but never waterlogged. Feed lightly with a balanced fertilizer once foliage is well developed.
• The exceptional productivity of this variety — confirmed as the most productive in the Romance series — means regular harvesting of stems throughout the season is both possible and recommended to stimulate continued stem production from the established corm.

Gulf Planting Season

• Plant corms outdoors: October, once temperatures begin to moderate
• Pre-sprouting period: Allow 3–4 weeks before shoots emerge — longer than Butterfly series
• Flowering: Typically December through March (90–120 days after planting)
• Harvest stage: Variable by design preference — near-black bud stage for maximum drama; early opening for colour transition; full opening for complete deep maroon bloom
• Lift and store corms: After foliage dies back naturally in late spring, before summer heat arrives
• Note: Romance™ Perigord® is a genuine cool-season-only flower in Kuwait’s climate. The near-black to deep maroon to red color evolution that defines this variety is most dramatically expressed in the cool, lower-light conditions of Kuwait’s winter months — in full summer sun the bloom would age toward red rapidly, reducing the distinctive dark character that makes the variety unique.
• Kuwait’s cool-season winter light, with its lower sun angle and more diffused quality, provides the ideal display conditions for the full color range of Perigord® to be appreciated at its most dramatic and sophisticated.
• The confirmed exceptional productivity of this variety — the most productive in the Romance series — means that a single corm planted in October can provide up to 20 stems across the December-to-March flowering window, making Perigord® the most economically productive single-corm investment in this catalogue’s ranunculus selection.

Companion Planting

• Perigord® is primarily grown for its outstanding ornamental and cut flower value. In the cool-season garden, the near-black to deep maroon tones of Perigord® create the strongest visual impact when planted alongside companions that provide strong color contrast rather than tonal similarity.
• Pure white anemones or white lisianthus planted alongside Perigord® create a high-contrast black-and-white composition of exceptional visual drama — the deep maroon of Perigord® reading as near-black against white companions in low winter light.
• Pale cream or ivory snapdragons provide a softer warm-toned contrast that complements the maroon without competing.
• Silver-leaved companions such as dusty miller provide a neutral metallic foil that intensifies the richness of the dark bloom without adding color competition.
• In the cutting garden specifically, Perigord® combines most effectively with pale or white companions where its dark dramatic presence anchors the arrangement without being overwhelmed by brighter tones.

Garden & Floristry Uses

• Perigord® is ideal for luxury floral arrangements, premium wedding bouquets, exhibition flowers, sophisticated container gardening, and collectors seeking elite Japanese florist genetics.
• Its giant peony-like blooms and dramatic dark coloration create extraordinary visual impact in premium floral design.