Hairy False Goldenaster

Heterotheca villosa

Hairy False Goldenaster

Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA

Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Asteraceae
Genus:
Heterotheca
Species:
Heterotheca villosa

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Forb/herb , Subshrub
Height:
2-3 ft
Light Requirements:
Full Sun
Drought Tolerance:
High
Bloom Months:
may, jun, jul, aug, sep, oct
Bloom Colors:
Yellow

Native Range

United States: Arizona, California, Colorado, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Canada: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan

Keystone Species Ranking

Bee Keystone:
★☆☆☆☆ Based on number of native bee species using this genus for pollen and nectar (Source: National Wildlife Federation)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Eucosma ridingsana

Reported Fauna Sightings

Bees: Forest bumble bee (Bombus sylvicola), Forest bumble bee (Bombus sylvicola), Fuzzy-horned bumble bee (Bombus mixtus), Fuzzy-horned bumble bee (Bombus mixtus), Hunt's bumble bee (Bombus huntii), Hunt's bumble bee (Bombus huntii), Indiscriminate cuckoo bumble bee (Bombus insularis), Indiscriminate cuckoo bumble bee (Bombus insularis), Two-form bumble bee (Bombus bifarius), Two-form bumble bee (Bombus bifarius), Yellow head bumble bee (Bombus flavifrons), Yellow head bumble bee (Bombus flavifrons)

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
pH:
6.0 - 8.0 (slightly acidic to slightly alkaline)
Drainage:
excellent drainage required
Moisture:
dry to moderate
Notes:
thrives in disturbed areas and open sites

Germination Information

Pre-treatment: None required

Establishment: Seeds from wild-collected seed from Garfield County, Colorado had relatively low germination regardless of the imposition of 12 weeks of winter conditions. This suggests that seeds in this species may have different dormancy-break requirements, and seeding timing may not significantly influence germination of sown seed. Additional research is needed to confirm the specific length of conditions needed to break dormancy and allow germination in the maximum number of seeds. Additional research is also needed to determine the extent to which these results are characteristic of the species.

Source: npn.rngr.net