This was an unusual plant to find at a plant store in October last year, but they were on sale and the basal leaves had a nice dark green color, so I took them home and planted them among the pines and black cherries. Much to my surprise they survived and thrived. The plant adds a whole other set of leaves and goes for a good foot or more of height to display the yellow flowers. The plants offer a beautiful yellow in a very early and otherwise fairly barren spring.
This member of the Asteraceae family is at home in swamps and wet woods but it does very well in a much drier environment. The plant can grow up to 3 feet tall. The picture above is from mid May.
Ragwort has a bad name, especially when it comes to pollen allergies. I am not sure how much pollen Packera aurea produces, but the plant is also mildly toxic and can cause skin allergies. It did not in my case – I handled these plants extensively, and I am someone who gets blisters at the mere mention of poison ivy and goldenrod. Just be aware that it could have an effect. This plant has quite a bit of medicinal application – it is used in diabetes and blood pressure remedies. It also gets honorable mention with treating menstrual pain, menopause symptoms, pain reduction, bleeding, and congestion.
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