Twinflower vs Hairy Golden Aster - TreeTime.ca

Twinflower vs Hairy Golden Aster

Linnaea borealis

Heterotheca villosa

CUSTOM GROW

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Twinflower
Hairy Golden Aster

Twinflower is a native, trailing evergreen ground cover known for its delicate flowers that grow in nodding pairs. These pale pink blooms are described as being sweetly fragrant, attracting native bees and other pollinators.
Growing in cool, moist, acidic soils, the trailing stems form roots as they spread and start to form mats across the forest floor. Due to its woody stem, it is technically classified as a shrub and often referred to as a subshrub or dwarf shrub. This species is well-suited for naturalization, restoration, and conservation projects.
Twinflower (Linneae borealis) was named in honour of Carl Linnaeus, who adopted it as his personal emblem.

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.

As a perennial, it dies back to the crown each winter, it will regrow from the base in the spring. Avoid disturbing the crown during late winter to ensure healthy growth the following season.

Twinflower Quick Facts

Hairy Golden Aster Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 3a
Height: 0.1 m (0.4 ft)
Height: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Light: any
Light: full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: creeping or trailing, ground cover
Growth form: upright, clump-forming
Spreading: stolons - medium, seeds - low
Spreading: seeds - high, rhizomes - medium
Maintenance: medium


Fall colour: reddish tinge
Flowers: Pink, bell-shaped, fragrant pairs
Flowers: bright yellow, daisy-like
Bloom time: summer
Bloom time: mid summer to early fall
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON
Other Names: northern twinflower, pink bells
Other Names: hairy false golden aster, hairy false goldenaster, hairy goldenaster