Western Buttercup
Ranunculus occidentalis
- Native to:
- Aleutian Is., Canada, United States
Walter Siegmund (talk)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Ranunculaceae
- Genus:
- Ranunculus
- Species:
- Ranunculus occidentalis
- USDA Symbol:
- RAOC
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Geophyte
- Height:
- 60 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- mar,apr,may,jun,jul
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Hitched Arch (Melanchra adjuncta)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Fuzzy-horned bumble bee (Bombus mixtus)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- moist, rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- good drainage preferred
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- thrives in open woods and meadows
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–60 days
- Notes:
- Cold stratification improves germination. Seeds may germinate erratically over several weeks.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: None required
Establishment: The protocol does not provide specific information on propagation source, pre-treatment, establishment protocol, temperature, germination rate, or germination time for Alopecurus alpinus.
Source: npn.rngr.net