For beginners to native Texas plants looking to fill almost any shady area with a well-behaved ground cover, Golden Groundsel (Packera obovata or Packera aurea) is a can’t-miss choice. Itis native to north-central and east Texas, and much of the eastern half of the US. Golden Groundsel was previously featured as a Native Plant Society of Texas NICE! (Natives Improve & Conserve Environments) plant.
During the doldrums of February and March, the Golden Groundsel offers one of the first signs that spring is on its way. Here in North Texas, they can begin blooming as early as February and last for well over a month. Their bright golden yellow blooms brighten up the early spring, as their flower cluster rises dramatically above the leaves. Planting en masse further heightens the brightness of their yellow flowers.
An Evergreen Beauty
Moreover, it offers appealing evergreen foliage for a great year-round look. The plant is an excellent choice for shady and somewhat moist areas. It is very hardy, able to weather the extremes of north Texas.
With their runners or stolons, the Golden Groundsel can fill up a corner of the garden. Plus, their runners can be easily transplanted to start new colonies. As a bonus, they can also propagate by seed. After the flowers have seeded, removing the spent stem cleans them up, and they are a wonderful evergreen ground cover for the rest of the year. Other than cutting back stems after flowering, very little maintenance is required. In addition, it has no serious insect or disease problems.
Golden Groundsel is 3 – 6 inches tall, and when in bloom, reaching 14 – 20 inches high. It is rosette-forming with ovate-shaped leaves and serrated edges, 1 – 2 inches in length.
For soil, Golden Groundsel prefers well-drained and humus-rich. But it is very adaptive to different soil types, tolerating lightly acidic to strongly alkaline. If you are in an area of Collin County with a shallow layer of soil due to limestone near the surface, Golden Groundsel is an excellent choice with its tolerance for calcareous soils. It is especially prolific in limestone woodlands or ledges, stream banks, and moist meadows.
It is drought tolerant, but when young, it will require some supplemental watering. Additionally, bees, butterflies, and other arthropods benefit from their nectar and pollen. But a much larger species, deer, are not likely to be attracted to it.
Companion Plants
Also known as Roundleaf Ragwort, it has great flexibility – suitable for a naturalized woodland, along borders, or a more formal shade garden. It makes a great neighbor to:
- Eastern Red Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
- White Avens (Geum canadense)
- Texas Frogfruit (Phyla nodiflora)
- Lyreleaf Sage (Salvia lyrata)
Lastly, one of many native plant mysteries is why it is not a more popular ground cover. So many non-native and invasive ground covers are used in Collin County that cannot compare to Golden Groundsel’s traits. Non-natives lack its dramatic eye appeal, beautiful evergreen foliage, non-aggressive nature, and sustenance for native insects. Golden Groundsel is a must-have ground cover, offering a bounty of benefits.
