Golden Ragwort
Packera aurea
Also listed as Senecio aureus, Senecio gracilis
Also known as Golden Groundsel, Heart-leaf Groundsel, Liferoot
Climate Match for your location
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A cheerful wildflower with bright yellow daisy-like blooms that attract pollinators. Extremely drought-tolerant once established and ideal for sunny, dry gardens.
Why grow it
Golden ragwort outperforms many similar native wildflowers in poor, gravelly, or sandy soils where establishment is otherwise difficult. Compared to cultivated Rudbeckia or Heliopsis, it requires minimal supplemental water once rooted and tolerates leaner conditions, making it useful for erosion control on slopes or in xeriscape schemes. Its early spring bloom also provides earlier forage for pollinators than many competing species in the same ecological niche.
Watch out for
Self-seeds readily in favorable conditions, which may require deadheading if you want to prevent volunteer seedlings in adjacent beds. In areas with consistent summer irrigation, it can become leggy and may benefit from spring cutback to encourage bushier growth. Performance declines noticeably in heavy clay or poorly drained soils where root rot can occur.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Asteraceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Western North America
Native to: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Flood Tolerance
Deer Resistance
Inferred from USDA browse palatability
pH Range
Soil Texture
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
A cheerful wildflower with bright yellow daisy-like blooms that attract pollinators. Extremely drought-tolerant once established and ideal for sunny, dry gardens.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Golden Ragwort grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Golden ragwort outperforms many similar native wildflowers in poor, gravelly, or sandy soils where establishment is otherwise difficult. Compared to cultivated Rudbeckia or Heliopsis, it requires minimal supplemental water once rooted and tolerates leaner conditions, making it useful for erosion control on slopes or in xeriscape schemes. Its early spring bloom also provides earlier forage for pollinators than many competing species in the same ecological niche.
Watch out for
Self-seeds readily in favorable conditions, which may require deadheading if you want to prevent volunteer seedlings in adjacent beds. In areas with consistent summer irrigation, it can become leggy and may benefit from spring cutback to encourage bushier growth. Performance declines noticeably in heavy clay or poorly drained soils where root rot can occur.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Asteraceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Western North America
Native to: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Flood Tolerance
Deer Resistance
Inferred from USDA browse palatability
pH Range
Soil Texture
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
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