woodland wildflower
Butterweed
Packera glabella
Also known as Cress-leaf Groundsel, Yellowtop
1 of 3Native to much of the USA
Ontario, North Carolina, Ohio, southern Illinois, Missouri, southwestern Iowa and southeastern Nebraska, south to Florida, Texas and eastern Kansas
- Light Full sun to part shade Sun tolerance
- Moisture Moist Moisture preference
- Zones 5–10 Cold to heat range
- Bloom Feb–May Flowering time
- Height up to 28 in to 71 cm
- Life cycle Annual Annual to perennial
In the garden
A woodland wildflower for full sun to part shade and evenly moist soil. At up to 28 in, it suits shade gardens and woodland edges. Hardy in USDA zones 5–10.
Growing conditions
Light
Full sun Partial shade Full shade
Moisture
Dry Moist Wet
Hardiness zones
Find your zone:
Pollinators & wildlife
- Butterflies Monarch
also Black Swallowtail, Pearl Crescent, Painted Lady +9 more
Gray Hairstreak, American Snout, Red-banded Hairstreak, American Copper, Great Purple Hairstreak, Amblyscirtes hegon, Oak Hairstreak, Mitoura gryneus, Fulvous Hairstreak - Flower flies Margined Calligrapher
also Eastern Calligrapher, Transverse-banded Flower Fly, Oblique Streaktail +3 more
Narrow-headed Marsh Fly, Wavy Mucksucker, Palpada agrorum - Bees Eastern Carpenter Bee
also Western Honey Bee, Ligated Furrow Bee, Pure Green Sweat bee +4 more
Southern Carpenter Bee, Carpenter-mimic Leafcutter Bee, Dark-winged Sweat Bee, Blueberry Digger Bee - Also visited by
- Beetles:
Asian Lady Beetle, Spotted Cucumber Beetle +2 more
Margined Leatherwing Beetle, Spotted Pink Lady Beetle - Moths:
Yellow-collared Scape Moth, Feather-edged Petrophila +2 more
Argyractis drumalis, Scarlet-bodied Wasp Moth - Wasps: Fraternal Potter Wasp, Perennial Mason Wasp
- Beetles:
Butterflies that use this plant
Documented host and nectar records. Each links to a planting guide for that butterfly.
- American coppernectar
- American snoutnectar
- Banded hairstreaknectar
- Black swallowtailnectar
- Gray hairstreaknectar
- Juniper hairstreaknectar
- Monarch butterflynectar
- Painted ladynectar
- Pearl crescentnectar
- Red-banded hairstreaknectar
Full plant details
Where it grows
- Habitat
- WoodlandThe wild plant community it grows in.
- Native range
- Much of the USAUnited States (20): AL, AR, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MO, MS, NC, NE, OH, OK, SC, TN, TX. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.
- Native distribution
- Ontario, North Carolina, Ohio, southern Illinois, Missouri, southwestern Iowa and southeastern Nebraska, south to Florida, Texas and eastern KansasThe same native range, usually more exact than the state list, and often noting where it has spread beyond it.
Growing conditions
- Light
- Full sun to part shadeHow much sun it takes, from full sun to full shade.
- Moisture
- MoistThe soil dampness it prefers, from dry to wet.
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 5–10 · Canadian 7–7The cold-to-heat climate range it survives.
- Soil
- Moist, alluvial soilsThe soils it grows in naturally.
- Soil pH
- 4.0–7.5The acidity to alkalinity it tolerates (7 is neutral).
- Soil quality
- LowHow rich a soil it needs. Many natives prefer lean soil and flop in rich beds.
- Water use
- HighHow thirsty it is, a rough guide to how often to water.
- Drought tolerance
- LowRelative to plants of the same type and region, inferred from where it grows, not a days-without-water figure.
- Salinity tolerance
- NoneHow well it copes with salty soil, near roads or the coast.
- Lime (CaCO₃) tolerance
- HighHow well it copes with chalky, lime-rich soil.
Growth & form
- Height
- up to 28 in (to 71 cm)Typical mature height.
- Life cycle
- AnnualWhether it lives a single season (annual), two (biennial), or returns for years (perennial).
- Growth rate
- ModerateA relative ranking versus other plants of the same type (USDA), not an absolute rate.
- Shape
- ErectIts overall silhouette.
- Root depth
- 14+ in (36+ cm)How far the roots reach, a guide to drought resilience and transplanting.
Flowers, foliage & fruit
- Type
- WildflowerWhat kind of plant it is.
- Bloom
- Feb–MayWhen it flowers.
- Flower color
- YellowThe bloom color, or colors.
- Toxicity
- None knownWhether any part is poisonous to people or pets.
Propagation & seed
- Cold stratification
- Not requiredWhether seed needs a cold, moist spell before it will germinate.
- Propagation
- Container, seedHow to start new plants.
- Seed
- ~0.5 million seeds per poundNotes on the seed and how to sow it.
- Seed spread rate
- ModerateHow readily it self-sows. Slow or none means well-behaved, not a spreader.
- Seedling vigor
- MediumHow strongly young seedlings establish.
- Vegetative spread
- NoneWhether it creeps outward or stays put in a clump.