Packera paupercula facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Packera paupercula |
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| Genus: |
Packera
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| Species: |
paupercula
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Packera paupercula is a type of flowering plant that belongs to the Packera genus and the Asteraceae family. This plant is originally from North America. You can find it growing in many parts of Canada and the United States.
People often call this plant balsam ragwort or balsam groundsel. It starts to bloom in April in warmer southern areas. In the colder northern regions, it might not flower until August.
Understanding Balsam Ragwort
Packera paupercula is a plant that scientists find a bit tricky to classify. There are different ways to group its various types. Because of this, no single way of classifying it is accepted by everyone.
Different Types of Balsam Ragwort
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is a famous plant research center. They currently recognize a few main varieties of Packera paupercula:
- P. paupercula var. appalachiana - This type only grows in the Appalachian Mountains.
- P. paupercula var. paupercula - This is the most common type. It grows widely from Newfoundland to Alaska. You can also find it south through the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachians.
- P. paupercula var. pseudotomentosa - This variety is found in the Midwest, the Upper South of the U.S., and in Ontario, Canada.
- P. paupercula var. savannarum - This type is only found in the upper Midwest region.
Images for kids
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This image shows the pseudotomentosa variety. You can tell it apart by its fuzzy leaves and stems, and how it spreads along the ground.
