Golden Groundsel

April 17, 2009
Larry Hurley
Perennial Plants
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Plenty of rain, warmer temperatures, and the inevitable passage of March into April has plants bursting into bloom. Don’t you wish you had actually planted all those daffodils you bought last fall?

Meanwhile, in the wonderful world of perennials, a little known native, Senecio aureus (in the throes of a name change to Packera* aurea) common-name Golden Groundsel. It will soon be flowering, several weeks ahead of when you would see it blooming in the landscape.

Golden Groundsel has shiny green leaves with a purple cast. In mild winters, it will be evergreen. It bears small yellow daisy-type flowers, achieving heights of up to two feet when in bloom. It blooms early and continues blooming for a number of weeks, longer than most spring-blooming perennials. It’s native to the Eastern United States and Canada, occurring in “wet meadows, rich, moist woods; swamps, bogs” (Erv Evans; North Carolina State University).

In gardening situations, it will do well from full sun to full shade, as long as it has adequate moisture. It is best in naturalistic plantings; it spreads underground and also seeds itself around, making it a good ground cover in moist shade. Its seeding tendencies make it too aggressive for a formal perennial bed.

So, if you have an informal area that is just crying for something besides Vinca minor or pachysandra, why not try a batch of Golden Groundsel?

You can view a nice photo and description on the website of one of our suppliers; www.northcreeknurseries.com keyword, senecio.

* On the name change: it is my theory that plant taxonomists are tired of getting flack for changing the names of beloved plants such as sedum and aster to more scientifically proper names like Teliphium and Symphyotrichum. I believe that, to show that they are really just regular guys and gals, they are rolling out a more user-friendly Football Team series of Latin Names, with Packera being the first.

by Larry Hurley, Perennial Plant Buyer

Larry Hurley

Larry Hurley worked at Behnke Nurseries from 1984 until the business was composted in 2019, primarily with the perennial department in growing, buying and sales.

Before landing at Behnke’s, he worked as a technician in a tissue culture lab, a houseplant “expert” at a florist shop, and inventory controller at a wholesale nursery in Dallas. With this and that, ten years passed.

When his wife Carolyn accepted a position at Georgetown University, Larry was hired at Behnke’s for the perennial growing department and garden center at Behnke’s Largo location.

In 2021, Larry and Carolyn moved back to Wisconsin to be closer to family and further from traffic. After 37 years in a shaded yard in Maryland, he is happy to have a sunny lot where he can grow all sorts of new perennials, if only he can keep the rabbits at bay. He also enjoys cooking, traveling, and the snowblower.