Commonly Confused! Explaining the Differences Between Popular Wedding Flowers "Peony" and "Ranunculus"

Can You Distinguish Between Peonies and Ranunculus?

Popular flowers often heard at weddings are

"peonies" and "ranunculus."

Both flowers have many fluttering petals and come in soft colors like white and pink ♡

But!

If you're a flower enthusiast, you might instantly recognize, “This is a peony!” or “This is a ranunculus!” However, for those who aren't well-versed in flowers, there might be moments of confusion like, “I thought this was a peony, but it’s actually a ranunculus!”

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In this article, we will explain the differences between peonies and ranunculus.

Let’s look at plenty of images so you can learn how to distinguish them!＊

【Question】Which One is a Peony? Which One is a Ranunculus?

This bouquet uses both peonies and ranunculus.

Can you tell which is the pink flower in front and the light pink flower above it?

The answer is: the pink flower in front is a peony, and the light pink flower above is a ranunculus ♡

**About Peonies**

Peonies belong to the family Paeoniaceae and the genus Paeonia, and their petals have a frilly appearance. The flowers are about 10 cm in diameter, and the stem lengths range from 50 cm to 80 cm, making them quite large.＊

They are often described as "standing peonies, sitting peonies, and walking lilies," blooming elegant large flowers gracefully at the top of their tall stems.

While the fully opened flowers are adorable, the state before the petals fully open is also popular. They are big and round, with the center completely hidden.

Now, let’s introduce some images of peonies ♩

A bouquet of dark pink and light pink peonies! ♡

A pure white peony bouquet, a wedding classic.

A cute combination of light pink and white peonies! ♡

Rare blue peonies. Blue peonies do not occur in nature and are created by dyeing white peonies.＊

The right side shows an open peony, and the left side shows a peony that is yet to open.＊

The frilly petals packed tightly together are simply adorable! ♡

**About Ranunculus**

On the other hand, ranunculus belongs to the family Ranunculaceae and the genus Ranunculus. Although the flower appearance is similar, peonies are from the Paeoniaceae family, making them completely different plants.

The petals of ranunculus do not have a frilly shape like peonies; each petal is linear. Each flower can have over 100 petals (some can have 200!), making them one of the flowers with the most petals in the world! ♡

The flowers have a diameter of 6 to 8 cm, making them smaller than peonies, and their stem lengths are shorter, ranging from 30 to 50 cm.

While the unopened ranunculus resembles peonies, once opened, they spread outward more than peonies, with each petal standing out individually.＊

Now, let’s introduce some images of ranunculus.＊

The light pink petals with a center that shows green are so cute! ♡

A pure white ranunculus that is fully open and has a stunning impact!＊

Pink ranunculus are vibrant and cheerful! ♡

The buds have multiple layers of overlapping petals, which are truly beautiful! ♡

Did You Understand the Differences Between "Peonies" and "Ranunculus"?

We have introduced the differences between peonies and ranunculus.＊

When you compare them, they are entirely different flowers, so you won’t get them mixed up again! ♡

Remember, large flowers with frilly petals are [Peonies],

and smaller flowers with linear petals are [Ranunculus] ♩

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