Hairy golden aster

Sun

Full sun.

Water

Low once established. Water young plants regularly while roots develop; established plants usually need watering only during prolonged drought.

Soil

Well-drained sandy, gravelly or rocky soil, including lean soils. Avoid waterlogged ground and heavy soil that stays wet in winter.

Height

1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m)

Spread

1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m)

Flowers

Yellow daisy-like flowers from summer into autumn; timing varies with climate and the origin of the plants.

Foliage

Small, alternate, oblong to lance-shaped green or grey-green leaves covered with hairs; stems are also hairy.

Growth

Moderate.

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Drought tolerant
• Cold hardy
• Wildlife
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Very tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1 ft (0.3 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.1 ft (0.35 m)

3. After 2 years

   1.3 ft (0.4 m)

4. After 3 years

   1.5 ft (0.45 m)

   full size

About 3 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Native to

the US and Canada

Growth rate

Moderate

• Plant in full sun with sharp drainage, especially where winters are wet.
• Water deeply during establishment, then let the soil dry between waterings.
• Avoid routine feeding; rich soil and excess fertiliser can produce weak, sprawling growth.
• Use a thin gravel mulch rather than thick, moisture-holding mulch around the crown.
• Remove unwanted seedlings while small if you want to limit its spread.

Pruning. Cut dead stems back to just above the crown in late winter or early spring, before new growth develops. Remove spent flowers during the growing season if you want to reduce self-seeding.

Early spring

Cut back old stems and check that the crown is not sitting in wet soil or buried under mulch.

Spring

Plant nursery-grown plants after the soil is workable; water thoroughly and allow space for mature clumps.

Late spring

Remove unwanted seedlings and weed around young plants.

Summer

Water new plants during dry spells; avoid frequent watering of established clumps.

Late summer

Deadhead to limit self-seeding, or leave some flowers to mature for seed collection.

Autumn

Leave healthy stems standing for winter habitat and keep fallen leaves from smothering the crown.

• Plant in sunny gravel gardens with low grasses for yellow flowers above contrasting fine foliage.
• Use near the front of dry perennial borders with purple coneflowers and prairie clovers.
• Repeat small groups through prairie-style plantings to extend flowering into late summer.
• Grow on sunny banks or rocky slopes where drainage is good and irrigation is limited.

Garden styles it suits: Dry gravel garden, Desert / xeriscape, Native meadow, Pollinator garden, Midwest prairie and Low-maintenance.

Plant it with: Little bluestem, Prairie dropseed, Purple prairie clover, Pale purple coneflower, Prairie smoke and Butterfly weed.

Wildlife: The flowers attract native bees, butterflies and other flower-visiting insects. Leaving some stems standing provides shelter for small invertebrates.

• Crown or root rot in wet ground: improve drainage or move the plant to a raised, gravelly position; avoid winter irrigation.
• Floppy stems in shade or rich soil: move to full sun, stop feeding and reduce unnecessary watering.
• Powdery mildew can occur: provide airflow, avoid crowding and remove badly affected foliage.
• Unwanted self-seeding: remove fading flower heads before seeds mature and pull seedlings promptly.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses, but species-specific safety information is limited. No particular poisonous part is established; it is not a food plant, so discourage eating it.

• Camphorweed (Heterotheca subaxillaris)

  Usually an annual or biennial rather than a persistent clump-forming perennial. It often grows taller, has broader lower leaves and develops a strongly branched upper stem.

• Showy goldenrod (Solidago speciosa)

  Bears many tiny yellow flower heads in upright plumes, rather than the conspicuous individual yellow daisies of hairy golden aster.

The species name villosa means hairy, referring to the hairs on the leaves and stems.

Propagation. Grow from seed, sown shallowly in a well-drained seed mix in spring or outdoors in autumn. Some seed lots benefit from a period of cold, moist conditions before germination. Divide established clumps in spring, keeping roots attached to each section.

Accepted botanical name

Heterotheca villosa

In the US and Canada

Native in Canada and the lower 48 states.

Native range

Alberta, Colorado, Kansas, Manitoba, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ontario, Saskatchewan, South Dakota and Wyoming.

Measured

Soil pH 6 to 7.5. Average height 16 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.