Home

Ragwort - Packera (12)

In 1981 a number of the Senecio genus were moved to the Packera genus. Some authorities do not accept this, I have separated them but included both names. Ragworts, also commonly called Groundsels, have yellow daisy-like flowers with only a few ray flowers, usually in clusters. Leaves are basal or alternate on the stem. Ragworts grow in a variety of habitats and life zones, and hybridize, thus making identification difficult.

Senecio fendleri

Fendler's Ragwort
Packera fendleri (Senecio fendleri)

Family: Sunflower (Asteraceae)
AKA: Fendler's Senecio, Notchleaf Butterweed
Photo taken on: May 27, 2006
Location: Taylor Canyon, Almont, CO
Life Zones: Foothills to montane
Habitat: Dry, rocky slopes

Grows 4"-16" with stalked, toothed, dissected and wavy, grayish leaves. Flower-heads have only 6-8 ray flowers. The flower stalks are woolly where they attach to the main stem. The tips of the bracts surrounding the flower are red-tipped.

Flora of North America reference.

Senecio canus

Woolly Groundsel
Packera cana  (Senecio canus)

Family: Sunflower (Asteraceae)
AKA: Gray Ragwort, Woolly Butterweed
Photo taken on: July 17, 2005
Location: Upper Lower Loop, GV, CO
Life Zones: Foothills to alpine
Habitat: Dry, open, rocky areas

Grows to 8". Leaves are 2" long, woolly and lance to spoon- shaped. Flowers are large in comparison.

Flora of North America reference.

Senecio dimorphophyllus

Two-leaved Groundsel
Packera dimorphophylla (Senecio dimorphophyllus)

Family: Sunflower (Asteraceae)
AKA: Different Groundsel, Splitleaf Groundsel
Photo taken on: July 28, 2007
Location: Cottonwood Pass, GV, CO
Life Zones: Subalpine to alpine
Habitat: Moist meadows, tundra

Grows to 8" with small, clasping, triangular stem leaves and oval, stalked basal leaves.

Packera dimorphophylla

Flora of North America reference.

Packera multilobata

Lobeleaf Groundsel
Packera multilobata (Senecio multilobatus)

Family: Sunflower (Asteraceae)
AKA: Many-lobed Packera
Photo taken on: April 27, 2015
Location: CR 142, Abiquiu, NM
Life Zones: Foothills
Habitat: Rocky, sandy soils, sagebrush, woodlands

Grows up to 16" high with a few stems and distinctive, mostly basal, deeply divided leaves. Most heads have a fringe of yellow ray florets, but at times these can be absent. Blooms early.

Flora of North America reference.

Packera mancosana

Mancos Shale Packera
Packera mancosana

Family: Sunflower (Asteraceae)
AKA:
Photo taken on: June 10, 2007
Location: Waterfall Creek Trail, GV, CO
Life Zones: Foothills to subalpine
Habitat: Dry meadows, rocky areas

Basal leaves are narrow, vertical and toothed at the tip. Stems and leaves are covered with cobwebby, matted hairs. I found this in swcoloradowildflowers. The description and photos match exactly but the location at about 10,000ft east of Crested Butte in Gunnison County is 140 crow miles from Mancos.

packera mancosana

Senecio neomexicanus

New Mexico Groundsel
Packera neomexicana var. mutabilis (Senecio mutabilis)

Family: Sunflower (Asteraceae)
AKA: New Mexico Butterweed
Photo taken on: May 12, 2011 and May 30, 2016
Location: Cerro Grande, NM and Wet Mountains, CO
Life Zones: Foothills to subalpine
Habitat: Dry meadows, forest openings

Grows to 20" with a few, small leaves on the stem. The stem and leaves can be woolly or not. Basal leaves can be narrow or oval shaped and are unevenly toothed.

Flora of North America reference.

Packera paupercula

Balsam Ragwort
Packera paupercula (Senecio pauperculus)

Family: Sunflower (Asteraceae)
AKA: Balsam Groundsel, Northern Ragwort
Photo taken on: July 16, 2023
Location: Roaring Judy Fish Hatchery, GV, CO
Life Zones: Plains to foothills
Habitat: Wet meadows, stream banks

Grows to 18" with a slender, erect stem and mostly basal, stalked, toothed leaves. Stem leaves reduce in size and clasp the stem. Flowers are about ¾" across and have 0, 8 or 13 ray florets.

Similar to P. platennsis, but that grows in dry areas and is cobwebby.

Flora of North America reference.

Packera plattensis

Prairie Ragwort
Packera plattensis (Senecio plattensis)

Family: Sunflower (Asteraceae)
AKA: Prairie Groundsel
Photo taken on: June 18, 2007
Location: Almont, CO
Life Zones: Plains to foothills
Habitat: Dry areas

Grows to 20" with cobwebby stems and fleshy, lyre shaped leaves.

Packera plattensis

Flora of North America reference.

Packera pseudaurea

Falsegold Groundsel
Packera pseudaurea (Senecio pseudaureus)

Family: Sunflower (Asteraceae)
AKA: Streambank Groundsel, Western Heart-leaved Groundsel
Photo taken on: July 15, 2010
Location: Lily Lake Trail, GV, CO
Life Zones: Foothills to subalpine
Habitat: Moist meadows and woods, stream banks

Grows to 2ft with a flat-topped cluster of flowers. The mostly basal rounded leaves have long stalks and are shallowly toothed. The few stem leaves are sharply toothed and clasping.

Flora of North America reference.

Senecio streptanthifolius

Rocky Mountain Groundsel
Packera streptanthifolia (Senecio streptanthifolius)

Family: Sunflower (Asteraceae)
AKA: Rocky Mountain Butterweed
Photo taken on: June 6, 2007
Location: Taylor Canyon, GV, CO
Life Zones: Foothills to montane
Habitat: Rocky areas, woodlands

Grows to 2ft with shallowly toothed, oval to oblong, basal leaves on long stalks.

Flora of North America reference.

Senecio tridenticulata

Three-toothed Ragwort
Packera tridenticulata (Senecio tridenticulata)

Family: Sunflower (Asteraceae)
AKA:
Photo taken on: June 6, 2007
Location: Taylor Canyon, GV, CO
Life Zones: Foothills to montane
Habitat: Meadows

Grows to 2ft with many stems and thick, three-toothed basal leaves.

Senecio tridenticulata

Flora of North America reference.

Senecio werneriifolius

Hoary Groundsel
Packera werneriifolia (Senecio werneriifolius)

Family: Sunflower (Asteraceae)
AKA: Rocky Senecio, Rock Groundsel
Photo taken on: July 16, 2006
Location: Green Lake - Irwin, GV, CO
Life Zones: Subalpine to alpine
Habitat: Rocky areas, talus

Grows in mats to 6" with thick, narrow basal leaves and hairy stems.

Flora of North America reference.

Yellow Round Clusters