Sulphur-Flower Buckwheat vs Hairy Golden Aster - TreeTime.ca

Sulphur-Flower Buckwheat vs Hairy Golden Aster

Heterotheca villosa

Eriogonum umbellatum

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CUSTOM GROW

Hairy Golden Aster
Sulphur-Flower Buckwheat

Hairy Golden Aster is a native perennial wildflower known for its clusters of bright yellow, daisy-like blooms. They bloom from mid-summer into fall, providing late-season colour and a valuable nectar source for pollinators, including a variety of bee species.

Flowers mature into fluffy seed heads and can self-seed readily. Removing spent blooms helps manage their spread, but some people will choose to leave a few seed heads to provide food for birds. Hairy Golden Aster grow in bushy clumps, tolerates poor sandy soils, and once established, are among the most drought-tolerant wildflowers. They are well-suited for pollinator gardens, restoration, naturalization, and xeriscaping projects.

Sulphur-Flower Buckwheat is a native perennial wildflower known for its dense clusters of cream to yellow flowers. The long-lasting blooms persist from late spring into summer, providing an extended nectar source for a variety of pollinators. The flower buds are often red-tinted before opening. As the blooms age, they shift to orange or red, adding seasonal interest and making them well-suited to dried flower arrangements. Its seeds are also eaten by birds, adding to its ecological value.

Depending on climate and conditions, Sulphur-Flower Buckwheat may be evergreen to semi-evergreen, or its foliage may turn red during fall. Its deep roots and spreading growth stabilize rocky or sandy soils, making it useful for erosion control. Exceptionally hardy once established, it requires little care and thrives in challenging environments, making it an excellent choice for pollinator gardens, naturalization, and ecological restoration projects.

Hairy Golden Aster Quick Facts

Sulphur-Flower Buckwheat Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 3a
Height: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Height: 0.2 m (0.5 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: upright, clump-forming
Growth form: upright to spreading, clump-forming
Spreading: seeds - high, rhizomes - medium
Spreading: seeds - low
Maintenance: medium


Foliage: leathery
Fall colour: reddish bronze
Flowers: bright yellow, daisy-like
Flowers: colour varies, typically white to yellow
Bloom time: mid summer to early fall
Bloom time: mid spring to mid summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON
Native to: AB, BC
Other Names: hairy false golden aster, hairy false goldenaster, hairy goldenaster
Other Names: sulphur buckwheat, sulphur flower, wild buckwheat