Showy Aster vs Yellow Mountain Avens - TreeTime.ca

Showy Aster vs Yellow Mountain Avens

Eurybia conspicua

Dryas drummondii

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Showy Aster
Yellow Mountain Avens

Showy Aster is a native perennial wildflower recognized for its tall stems topped with clusters of light purple blooms. Blooming from late summer into autumn, it provides an important late-season source of nectar and pollen for pollinators. It also produces seeds that are eaten by birds, extending its value to wildlife beyond the flowering season.

Drought tolerant once established, Showy Aster grows well in urban, rural, and disturbed sites. With its mix of ecological value and ornamental appeal, it is ideal for pollinator gardens, naturalization projects, and ecological restoration.

Yellow Mountain Avens is a native perennial wildflower with bright yellow buttercup-like blooms. The nectar-rich flowers attract a variety of pollinators, including bees and butterflies. By thriving at higher elevations, it helps sustain pollinator populations and provides one of the earliest sources of nectar and pollen in alpine habitats.

As a nitrogen-fixing plant, Yellow Mountain Avens enriches soil fertility and supports the growth of surrounding vegetation. It forms dense, spreading mats of evergreen foliage that act as a groundcover and help stabilize soil. Often among the first species to establish in disturbed alpine sites such as glacial outwash or landslides, it is well-suited for alpine revegetation, erosion control, naturalization, and ecological restoration projects in harsh, rocky environments.

Showy Aster Quick Facts

Yellow Mountain Avens Quick Facts

Zone: 2b
Zone: 1b
Height: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Height: 0.2 m (0.5 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: any
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: upright, colony-forming
Growth form: mat-forming, creeping
Spreading: rhizomes - medium, seeds - medium
Spreading: stolons - medium, seeds - low


Foliage: evergreen, leathery
Flowers: purple-blue, with yellow centers
Flowers: yellow, buttercup-like, nodding
Bloom time: late summer to early fall
Bloom time: spring to summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB
Native to: AB, BC, SK, ON, QC, NB, NL, YT, NT
Other Names: western showy aster
Other Names: drummonds dryad, drummonds mountain avens, yellow dryad