Ranunculus: if ever there was a flower that should feature in some sort of infuriating, tongue-twisting rhyme then this is it. More than just a slippery collection of u’s and consonants however, its intricately swirling petals make it an eternal favourite in the Floom offices. What’s more, ranunculus most commonly bloom in Springtime, making this the perfect time to feature them as our flower of the week.
Ranunculus originated in central Asia, and that name actually translates from the latin for ‘little frog’ - we’re guessing this is due to the fact that in the wild, they were often found near the water, in swampy areas. The thought of coming across such enchanting, vibrant blooms in the midst of a murky, mystical swamp just makes us want to bust out all those fantastical films we enjoyed as children (first up: Legend, starring Tom Cruise when he still had buck teeth and a vague grip on his sanity, obviously).
Anyway, apparently if you gave someone a bunch of ranunculus in Victorian times, it was a way of saying: ‘I feel you have many charms.’ We’re gonna read between the lines a little bit here and translate that into modern parlance for you: ‘I fancy the pants off you.’ To be honest we can’t think of a better flower for expressing that particular sentiment - each petal bursts with joy, and they’re a hundred times more interesting than roses, right?
