Kendall County (IL) Forest Preserve District
Butterweed
Packera glabella [C-value
0]
Aster family (Asteraceae)
Blooms mid-May - June
Butterweed is native to southern Illinois and is becoming common in our area. It prefers full to partial sun, wet to moist conditions, and a rich loamy soil. Habitats include wet to moist areas in open floodplain forests, soggy meadows along rivers, swamps and seeps. It is a winter annual or bienniall that initially forms a low rosette of basal leaves and then bolts to become 1-3' tall, unbranched, except for short flowering stems in the axils of upper leaves. The alternate leaves are up to 10" long and 2½" across, becoming smaller as they ascend the central stem. The central stem and lateral stems terminate in flat-headed panicles of flowers that become spread out with age forming an inflorescence up to 6" across. Each flower is about ½" across, consisting of 5-15 bright yellow ray florets that surround numerous yellow disk florets in the center.
Butterweed along Route 71 May 20, 2015
Butterweed at Pickerill/Pigott Forest Preserve May 14, 2013 (early bloom buds)
Butterweed at Harris Forest Preserve June 13, 2015 (with a cute caterpillar)
Butterweed at Harris Forest Preserve June 13, 2015 (with some post-bloom seed fuzz)
Butterweed foliage at Harris Forest Preserve June 13, 2015
Butterweed at Pickerill/Pigott Forest Preserve June 1, 2013
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