Bloomipedia
Butterweed (Packera glabella)
Photo: Ryan Watson via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Butterweed

Packera glabella

Butterweed (Packera glabella) is a flowering plant in the Asteraceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly March–May across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

Butterweed is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 11 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in March–May.

21states where USDA records it
11Bloomipedia state lists include it
22,024U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee

Quick look

Packera glabella is one of several plants with the common name butterweed. P. glabella has also been called cressleaf groundsel and yellowtop. It is native to central and southeastern North America but spreads so aggressively, overtaking other native plants, that it is considered a noxious weed in Ohio, although the Ohio Invasive Plants does not list the plant on its invasive species list.

  • It belongs to the Asteraceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a annual life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 21 states. USDA PLANTS
  • In Illinois, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–May. iNaturalist
  • In Ohio, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–May. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as yellow. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as spring. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 3.2 ft. USDA PLANTS
  • iNaturalist has 3,444 research-grade sightings of it in Illinois, ranking #38 among the 180 flowers on our Illinois list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 2,774 research-grade sightings of it in Ohio, ranking #62 among the 186 flowers on our Ohio list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 1,995 research-grade sightings of it in Georgia, ranking #30 among the 183 flowers on our Georgia list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (3,004 records)
Bloom time in the 11 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
IllinoisNativeApril–May3,444
OhioNativeApril–May2,774
GeorgiaNativeMarch–April1,995
IndianaNativeApril–May1,957
LouisianaNativeFebruary–April1,893
TennesseeNativeMarch–April1,886
KentuckyNativeApril–May1,691
AlabamaNativeMarch–April1,520
MissouriNativefew records (46)1,321
MississippiNativeFebruary–April568
South CarolinaNativeMarch–April550

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
State rare plant lists
Not listed Not on the official rare plant list in 6 of our 11 states.
See each state
Illinois
Not listed Not on Illinois List of Endangered and Threatened Flora (17 Ill. Adm. Code 1050), per the Endangered Species Protection Board's 2025 checklist. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Illinois. IL E&T checklist 2025
Ohio
Not listed Not on Ohio endangered and threatened plants (Ohio Adm. Code 1501:18-1-03, eff. Dec. 26, 2024). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Ohio. OAC 1501:18-1-03
Georgia
Not listed Not on Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed). NatureServe: S5, secure in Georgia. Ga. R. 391-4-10-.09
Tennessee
Not listed Not on Tennessee endangered plants (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-06-02-.04, Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Tennessee. TN rule 0400-06-02-.04
Kentucky
Not listed Not on Kentucky endangered and threatened plant lists (400 KAR 3:040, eff. 2026). NatureServe: S5, secure in Kentucky. 400 KAR 3:040
Missouri
Not listed Not on Missouri Wildlife Code endangered species (3 CSR 10-4.111), plants. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Missouri. 3 CSR 10-4.111
Indiana
No list Indiana has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (the DNR keeps a rare plant list, but it isn't regulatory), so we show NatureServe's Indiana ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in Indiana.
Louisiana
No list Louisiana has no state list of endangered or threatened plants separate from the federal list, so we show federal status and NatureServe's Louisiana ranks. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Louisiana.
Alabama
No list Alabama has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Alabama ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Alabama.
Mississippi
No list Mississippi has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Mississippi ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Mississippi.
South Carolina
No list South Carolina has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's South Carolina ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in South Carolina.
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: NE (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records butterweed in 21 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas.

Illinois counties with USDA records: Alexander, Calhoun, Cass, Champaign, Christian, Clay, Crawford, Cumberland, Douglas, DuPage, Edgar, Edwards, Fayette, Franklin, Fulton, Gallatin, Greene, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Jefferson, Jersey, Johnson, Lawrence, Macon, Macoupin, Madison, Marion, Mason, Massac, Montgomery, Moultrie, Peoria, Perry, Piatt, Pike, Pope, Pulaski, Randolph, Richland, Shelby, Union, Vermilion, Wabash, Washington, Wayne, White, Williamson.

Ohio counties with USDA records: Butler, Erie, Ottawa, Preble.

Georgia counties with USDA records: Baldwin, Bartow, Bibb, Brooks, Camden, Chatham, Clarke, Cobb, Columbia, Decatur, Dodge, Dougherty, Elbert, Glynn, Grady, Jenkins, Johnson, Morgan, Oglethorpe, Putnam, Spalding, Walker, Washington, Wilkes.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives Butterweed a high shade tolerance, medium drought tolerance and high moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 4.0 to 7.5 and winter lows down to 32 °F.

Shade tolerance
High
Drought tolerance
Medium
Moisture use
High
Soil textures it is adapted to
coarse, fine
Soil pH range
4.0 to 7.5
Minimum temperature tolerated
32 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum)
160
Annual precipitation range
30 to 50 inches
Minimum root depth
14 inches
Salinity tolerance
None
Fertility requirement
Low
Growth rate
Moderate
Active growth period
Spring
Fruit or seed
Brown · Spring to Spring
Can be propagated by
container, seed
Commercial availability
No Known Source

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for PAGL17. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Waif (occasional, not established); Lower 48 states: Native.

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Senecio glabellus, Senecio lobatus.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 491 counties across 19 states; the most are in Louisiana (63), Arkansas (56), Illinois (48).

Other Packera on Bloomipedia (3): Golden ragwort, Small's ragwort, Lobeleaf groundsel.

More from the Asteraceae family (212 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Common yarrow, Goldenrods, White snakeroot, Sunflowers, Chicory, Black-eyed Susan, Bull thistle, Common dandelion.

More Illinois flowers

White snakeroot (Ageratina altissima)

White snakeroot

Ageratina altissima

Native

🌼 Blooms in IL: August–October
Chicory (Cichorium intybus)

Chicory

Cichorium intybus

Introduced

🌼 Blooms in IL: June–September
Compass plant (Silphium laciniatum)

Compass plant

Silphium laciniatum

Native

🌼 Blooms in IL: June–August

Sources