Balsam Ragwort

Packera paupercula is a perennial wildflower in the Aster family, native to this region, with small, yellow petals beckoning one to come hither for a closer look. The one in this photo certainly did seem to invite me to step off the walking path into its home growing along the shady, moist river bank in Aitkin’s city park. The daisy-like flowers are about 3/4 inch across with golden centers, and blooms May through August.

Basal leaves (lowest leaves to the ground/first leaves) are toothed around the tips and sides, oblong-shaped, up to 2 inches long and 1/2″ wide. Stems are unbranched leading up to the flower clusters on top, with leaves along the stem being more lance-shaped than the basal leaves, clasping the stem and very deeply lobed.

This pretty, deeply yellow wildflower has a cousin of similar color, prairie ragwort, which (as its name implies) prefers drier habitat, protecting itself with much fuzzier, woolly leaves and stems than those of balsam ragwort.