You can find this plant in an area running diagonally from the north-central to the southeastern portions of North America. When you can identify it, leave a comment below with its common and scientific names, along with any personal connection you have with this plant.
Plant in bloom
Flowers — blooming and dying
Leaves — shape and arrangement along stem
From flowers to fruits
Maturing seeds
Fruits/seeds in winter
ANSWER (subsequently added to this post to facilitate the “search” function for these images): Wild indigo (Baptisia tinctoria)
I would guess Yellow Wild Indigo/Rattleweed/Honesty-weed (Baptisia tinctoria).
birdfoot trefoil?
Yes, Evan, this is Wild indigo (Baptisia tinctoria). My first experience of this plant was a time when I just sat still in the woods for a while and suddenly noticed some yellow flowers nearby. Now I’m seeing it in more and more locations.
Wild Indigo is also a host plant for the Wild Indigo Duskywing (Erynnis baptisiae) butterfly, who I noticed for the first time last summer.