Flower profile
Lobeleaf groundsel
Packera multilobata
Lobeleaf groundsel (Packera multilobata) is a flowering plant in the Asteraceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly May–July across the U.S.
Lobeleaf groundsel is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Nevada it's most often seen in bloom in May–July.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Nevada
Quick look
Packera multilobata is a species of flowering plant in the aster family known by the common name lobeleaf groundsel. It is native to the western United States from California to Wyoming to New Mexico, where it is common and can be found in many habitat types.
- It belongs to the Asteraceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a annual, perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 8 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Nevada. NatureServe
- In Nevada, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–July. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 476 research-grade sightings of it in Nevada, ranking #86 among the 132 flowers on our Nevada list. iNaturalist
When does it bloom?
In Nevada, most flowering sightings come in May–July.
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
- Nevada
- Not listed Not on Nevada fully protected plants, critically endangered (NAC 527.010). NatureServe: S5, secure in Nevada. NAC 527.010
- Rare elsewhere
- No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
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.
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 lobeleaf groundsel in 8 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming.
Nevada counties with USDA records: Carson City, Churchill, Clark, Douglas, Elko, Esmeralda, Eureka, Lander, Lincoln, Lyon, Mineral, Nye, Pershing, Storey, Washoe, White Pine.
Names, range and relatives
Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Senecio lynceus, Senecio multilobatus, Senecio stygius, Senecio thornberi, Senecio uintahensis.
County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 94 counties across 8 states; the most are in Utah (29), Nevada (16), Colorado (13).
Other Packera on Bloomipedia (3): Butterweed, Golden ragwort, Small's ragwort.
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 Nevada flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile PAMU11.
- iNaturalist, Packera multilobata: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Packera multilobata (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Nevada: Nevada fully protected plants, critically endangered (NAC 527.010).
- Nevada: Nevada noxious weeds (NAC 555.010).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Packera multilobata (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
- Photo: sdash via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.