About golden groundsel or golden ragwort
Packera aurea (was Senecio aureus)
Perennial Forb
Daisy Family
Maryland Distribution: Wet woods, floodplains, throughout the state
Height: foliage to 6 inches, flowering stems to 2.5 feet
Blooms: yellow; April - May
Sun: part sun to full shade
Soil: moist or wet, rich
Garden Use & Maintenance: Spreads slowly by underground rhizomes to form an ideal groundcover for moist, shady landscapes. Aggressive enough to outcompete most weeds, don't plant it in the same bed with timid species. The cheerful yellow blooms are an added benefit. They are less attractive in seed, some gardeners prefer to trim the stems back after blooming.
Wildlife: Beneficial to spring pollinators, particularly smaller butterflies, skippers, flower flies, and bees.