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Plant A Patch: Round-Leaved Ragwort (Packera obovata)

 

 

PLANT A PATCH 

 

Because of their commitment to an environmentally friendly and sustainable landscape, the staff at Embassy Landscape Group is proud to introduce The Plant A Patch series. These blogs are designed to introduce you to a variety of lessor known native plants that are of particular value to the landscape.  We hope that you will join us on Thursdays as we bring you some of our favorites.

 

 

 

Commonly referred to as Squaw**-weed or roundlead groundsel, this low maintenance native perennial is an excellent choice for those “hard to grow anything” places. Naturalizing quickly by underground runners and through self-seeding, it grows in full sun but thrives in shady locations. It prefers rich soil and an average amount of moisture, but will also tolerate average soil and dry conditions. Its bright yellow blooms, which stand on top of 12 to 18 inch stems,  give quite a show in the late spring and early summer. Once the blooms are done, cut off the stems and enjoy the semi-evergreen foliage. Each plant spreads 8 to 16 inches and is an attractive groundcover. It is deer and rabbit resistant and it attracts butterflies and moths. The northern metalmark (a critically imperiled species in Missouri) uses it as a larval food plant.

 

Northern Metalmark - Calephelis borealis,

Northern Metalmark – Calephelis borealis

 

 

** Please note that the term squaw in this usage is derived from the meaning “Native American woman” and was “historically tied to the names of plants that had medicinal uses for illnesses specific to women.”    (https://nature.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-round-leaved-groundsel-round-leaved-ragwort ) The leaves of the plant carry a low toxicity that can be harmful to the liver if ingested in huge quantities. It is not recommended for use around grazing livestock.