Asteraceae : Heterotheca villosa
Files
Download Seed: The achenes of hairy goldaster are 2-2.5 mm long. (375 KB)
Download Seedling: Two month old seedling grown in research greenhouse at SDSU. (94 KB)
Download Vegetative: The grayish green color of hairy goldaster leaves is due to their pubescence. (729 KB)
Download Flowering: Heads are solitary to clustered at the stem tips. (974 KB)
Download Fruiting: Hairy goldaster produces seed in late summer. (1007 KB)
Family Name
Asteraceae
Common Name
Golden aster, hairy goldaster
Description
Heterotheca villosa is a perennial herb with simple to branched sprawling to somewhat erectnstems, 10-50 cm long, arising singly or in clusters from a taproot. The upper stems are hairy with sessile or stalked resin glands. Leaves are simple, alternate and petiolate toward the base, becoming sessile toward the upper portions of the stems. The middle cauline leaves are oblanceolate, 1-3 cm long and 3-8 mm wide. The inflorescence is flat topped to paniculate with 3-30 heads coming from each branch, with each head surrounded by an involucre of 4-9 series of bracts with a total height of 7-12 mm. there are 20-30 ray flowers , the golden ligules 8-12 mm long and about as many yellow disk flowers, 5-8 mm long. The achenes have an outer scaley pappus and an inn bristly one. Golden aster blooms from July through September on sandy upland sites in both eastern and western South Dakota.
Horticulture Notes
Seed Collection: Collect seed in July to October, when achenes turn dark in color.
Germination: Mant seeds sown in the spring will germinate later in the summer. A 60-day cold treatment produces better germination rates as does fall seeding.
Soils: Sandy or gravelly well drained soils.
Light: Full sun to partial shade.
Water: Dry to medium moisture levels.
Additional Notes
Hairy goldaster is a great addition to a native plant garden. It produces a large mass of yellow flowers and blooms for much of the summer. It attracts many bee and butterfly species.