Slimstem Reedgrass vs Hairy Golden Aster - TreeTime.ca

Slimstem Reedgrass vs Hairy Golden Aster

Heterotheca villosa

Calamagrostis stricta

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

CUSTOM GROW

Hairy Golden Aster
Slimstem Reedgrass

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.

Slimstem Reedgrass is a native perennial bunchgrass commonly found in damp meadows, wetlands, and along streams and lakeshores. It thrives in wet, nutrient-poor soils and shows some tolerance to saline conditions. Typically a bunchgrass, it can also spread by rhizomes to form colonies, making it well-suited for soil stabilization, riparian zone planting, and wetland restoration projects.

Slimstem Reedgrass provides valuable cover for small animals and birds, and its dense growth can even serve as nesting habitat for waterfowl in wetland areas. Its seeds offer forage for wildlife, while the tall stems and floral spikes add texture and visual interest to the landscape.

Hairy Golden Aster Quick Facts

Slimstem Reedgrass Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 2a
Height: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: upright, clump-forming
Growth form: upright, clump-forming
Spreading: seeds - high, rhizomes - medium
Spreading: rhizomes - high, seeds - low
Maintenance: medium


Flowers: bright yellow, daisy-like
Bloom time: mid summer to early fall
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Other Names: hairy false golden aster, hairy false goldenaster, hairy goldenaster
Other Names: narrow reedgrass, narrow-leaved reed grass, narrow-spiked reedgrass, slim-stemmed reedgrass