Yellow Mountain Avens vs Yellow Hedysarum - TreeTime.ca

Yellow Mountain Avens vs Yellow Hedysarum

Hedysarum sulphurescens

Dryas drummondii

CUSTOM GROW

CUSTOM GROW

Yellow Hedysarum
Yellow Mountain Avens

Yellow Hedysarum is a native perennial wildflower recognized for its clusters of pale yellow to creamy-white, pea-like blooms. Flowering from late spring into summer, it adds subtle colour to grasslands, roadsides, and open woods while attracting a variety of pollinators, especially bumblebees.

As a nitrogen-fixing plant, Yellow Hedysarum enriches soils and supports the growth of surrounding vegetation. Its deep taproot and extensive root system make it drought-tolerant and effective at stabilizing soil. Grizzly bears are known to dig up and eat the nutritious taproot. Its resilience and ecological value make it well-suited for restoration, naturalization, pollinator gardens, and erosion control projects.

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. After the blooms fade, the plant produces silky seed heads that begin as upright, compact tufts and gradually expand into rounded, fluffy clusters, adding texture and interest to the landscape.

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.

Yellow Hedysarum Quick Facts

Yellow Mountain Avens Quick Facts

Zone: 2b
Zone: 1b
Height: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Height: 0.2 m (0.5 ft)
Spread: 0.2 m (0.8 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: ascending to upright
Growth form: mat-forming, creeping
Spreading: seeds - low
Spreading: stolons - medium, seeds - low


Foliage: evergreen, leathery
Flowers: creamy yellow, in dense spikes
Flowers: yellow, buttercup-like, nodding
Bloom time: late spring to summer
Bloom time: spring to summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC
Native to: AB, BC, SK, ON, QC, NB, NL, YT, NT
Other Names: sulphur hedysarum, sulphur sweet-vetch, yellow sweet-vetch
Other Names: drummonds dryad, drummonds mountain avens, yellow dryad