Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Juncaceae

Genus:

Juncus

Species:

Juncus occidentalis

USDA Symbol:

JUOC2

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Graminoid

Height:

100 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Low

Bloom Months:

jun,jul,aug

Bloom Colors:

brown, green

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★★☆☆☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, waterfowl

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from rhizomes following fire; tolerates periodic burns in wetland margins.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

moist, sandy or clay loam

pH:

5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

tolerates poor drainage

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

commonly found in wet meadows and marshes

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Germination Time:

14–30 days

Notes:

Seeds require light for germination; surface sow and keep consistently moist.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI