Hairy Golden Aster vs Nuttalls Sunflower - TreeTime.ca

Hairy Golden Aster vs Nuttalls Sunflower

Heterotheca villosa

Helianthus nuttallii

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Hairy Golden Aster
Nuttalls Sunflower

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.

Nuttall’s Sunflower is a native perennial wildflower known for its bright, golden-yellow blooms. Flowering from mid to late summer, it offers a late-season nectar source for various bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, while the seeds provide a fall food source for birds. The upright growth habit adds structural height and visual variety to your landscape.

Nuttall’s Sunflower can be found growing in moist to wet meadows, prairies, and open spaces. It can spread quickly via underground rhizomes, making it ideal for large-scale plantings. It is well-suited for naturalization, soil stabilization, riparian zones, and wetland restoration projects. If planting in smaller urban yards or gardens, extra care and maintenance will be required to limit its spread.

Hairy Golden Aster Quick Facts

Nuttalls Sunflower Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 2b
Height: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: 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, colony forming
Spreading: seeds - high, rhizomes - medium
Spreading: rhizomes - medium, seeds - low
Maintenance: medium


Flowers: bright yellow, daisy-like
Flowers: golden yellow, daisy-like
Bloom time: mid summer to early fall
Bloom time: late 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
Other Names: hairy false golden aster, hairy false goldenaster, hairy goldenaster
Other Names: common tall sunflower