Golden Ragwort (Packera aurea) is in the Sunflowers, Daisies, Asters, and Allies family (Asteraceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 1,631 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in April.
Nationally it blooms mainly from April to May, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.
When to photograph Golden Ragwort: observations by month (U.S.)
About Golden Ragwort
Packera aurea (formerly Senecio aureus), commonly known as golden ragwort or simply ragwort, is a perennial flower in the family Asteraceae. It is also known as golden groundsel, squaw weed, life root, golden Senecio, uncum, uncum root, waw weed, false valerian, cough weed, female regulator, cocash weed, ragweed, staggerwort, and St. James wort.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Golden Ragwort by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | 393 | April | Apr–May |
| Virginia | 250 | May | Apr–May |
| Pennsylvania | 232 | April | Apr–May |
| Ohio | 169 | May | Apr–May |
| Maryland | 80 | April | Apr–May |
| Indiana | 75 | April | Apr–Apr |
| New York | 74 | May | May–May |
| Michigan | 47 | May | May–May |
| West Virginia | 44 | April | Apr–May |
| Illinois | 40 | May | Apr–May |
| Kentucky | 36 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Massachusetts | 32 | June | May–Jun |
| Vermont | 27 | June | May–Jun |
| District of Columbia | 22 | April | Apr–Apr |
| New Jersey | 18 | May | Apr–May |
| Delaware | 16 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Tennessee | 13 | April | Apr–May |
| Missouri | 12 | April | Apr–May |
| Wisconsin | 12 | May | May–Jun |
| Arkansas | 8 | April | Apr–May |
| Connecticut | 5 | May | May–Jun |
| Georgia | 5 | March | Mar–Mar |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related wildflowers (Sunflowers, Daisies, Asters, and Allies)
black-eyed Susan
Common Yarrow
White Snakeroot
Chicory
Lawn daisy
Philadelphia fleabane
Pearly Everlasting
Blue Mistflower
Photography tips
- Photograph flowers on calm, overcast mornings to avoid wind blur and harsh shadows.
- Get low: a shallow depth of field (f/2.8–f/5.6) isolates a bloom against soft color.
- Stay on trails — trampling meadows kills plants and ruins next year's display.
- Try a kaleidoscope abstract of a single bloom with our online kaleidoscope tool.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Golden Ragwort?
Nationally, April has the most observations, with the main season from April to May.
Where is Golden Ragwort most often seen?
The most observations come from North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania.