Golden Groundsel

My pretty yellow wildflower is Round Leaf Groundsel.  I was finally able to find it in my Arkansas wildflower book.  It’s of the Aster family.  It’s also called ragwort and squaw weed.  Animals don’t eat it.  They know it’s poisonous.  Even though the plant contains strong chemicals, herbalist and Native Americans used it extensively for medicinal purposes, including treating diabetes, high blood pressure, water retention, bleeding, chest congestion, and spasms.  Native women used golden ragwort for treating irregular or painful menstrual periods and symptoms of menopause. They also used it to reduce pain and ease childbirth. That’s how it became known as “ squaw weed”.