Ranunculus occidentalis
Western buttercup is a perky little gem that is exceptionally versatile and attractive in a landscape setting. Its shiny, yellow, five-petaled flowers are an excellent source of early season pollen for native sweat bees, mining bees, mason bees, bumblebees and hoverflies.
- Plant type/canopy layer: deciduous, perennial, herbaceous plant
- Size at maturity: 0-18” tall, 0-12" wide
- Light requirements: full sun to part shade
- Moisture requirements: dry to wet soil
- Bloom time: March - August (April - May in the Portland Metro area)
- Growth rate/ease: fast growing, easy to grow
- Wildlife support: flowers are a nectar source for adult butterflies, bees and other insect pollinators
- Native habitat/range: common in wet meadows, coastal bluffs, disturbed soils, and open woodlands, at low elevations, across western Washington, Oregon, and northwestern California. Portland Plant List - yes.
- Special features & uses: groundcover; landscape uses include rock gardens, pollinator gardens, meadowscapes and edges of a woodland garden
Gardening with Western Buttercup: This cheerful perennial grows fabulously in a range of light and moisture conditions, though its ultimate preference is moist well-drained soil in partially shaded areas. Intermix many plants into your meadowscapes and pollinator gardens or to brighten up the margins of a woodland garden and other native beds. Blooms in sync with camas creating impressive swaths of purple and yellow.
Photo Credits 1, 2: Nikkie West, Sparrowhawk Native Plants
Photo Credit 3: Hoddick Photography