Packera aurea, commonly known as Golden Groundsel or Golden Ragwort, is a native perennial valued for its early yellow blooms and dense evergreen foliage. It is particularly useful for naturalizing in woodland gardens or damp low spots.
Height & Spread: 12 - 18 in x 18 - 24 in
Bloom Time: Mid to late spring
Light Requirements: Part shade to full shade
Soil Preference: Moist, rich, well drained to wet soils; tolerates occasional standing water
Watering Needs: Moderate to high; prefers consistently moist conditions
Deer Resistance: High
Native Status
Found in moist meadows, stream banks, and woodlands in eastern North America. Plays an important role in supporting native pollinators and stabilizing soil in damp areas.
Wildlife & Insects
Butterflies
- Attracts early spring butterflies such as Eastern Tiger Swallowtails and Spring Azures with its bright yellow flowers.
Bees
- Provides a critical nectar and pollen source for native bumblebees, sweat bees, and mining bees emerging in early spring.
Beneficial Insects
- Supports early season hoverflies and parasitic wasps which help control pest populations in the garden.
Spacing & Landscape Use
Spacing Recommendations
- Space 18 - 24 in apart to allow for spreading and to form a continuous ground cover in moist shaded areas.
Landscape Placement
- Best used in rain gardens, shaded borders, woodland edges, and naturalized areas where early color and erosion control are needed.
Companion Plants
Asarum canadense (Wild Ginger) - Shares the same moist shade preferences and creates a dense, low carpet of heart shaped foliage.
Carex pensylvanica (Pennsylvania Sedge) - Fine textured native sedge that complements Golden Groundsel in naturalized plantings and understory settings.
Phlox divaricata (Woodland Phlox) - Early blooming and shade tolerant, it pairs beautifully with the golden blooms of Packera aurea.
Polystichum acrostichoides (Christmas Fern) - Offers evergreen texture and structure through all seasons alongside Golden Groundsel's spring flowers.
Mertensia virginica (Virginia Bluebells) - Contrasting blue flowers bloom in the same period, creating a colorful spring woodland display.