About Heterotheca villosa (Pursh) Shinners
Commonly known as hairy golden aster, Heterotheca villosa (Pursh) Shinners grows 5 to 70 centimeters (2 to 28 inches) tall, with a more typical height range of 16 to 40 cm (6 to 16 in). Its leaves can reach up to 60 cm (24 in) in length, but are most often 22 to 40 cm (9 to 16 in) long. It blooms from May to October, producing flower heads approximately 2.5 cm (1 in) wide that have both yellow ray florets and yellow disk florets. Its seeds have white bristles at the tip. This species can be difficult to identify, as it has many close relatives and a large number of recognized varieties. The currently recognized varieties of Heterotheca villosa are: Heterotheca villosa var. ballardii (Rydb.) Semple, found in the northern Great Plains of the United States and Canada; Heterotheca villosa var. depressa (Rydb.) Semple, found in Wyoming; Heterotheca villosa var. foliosa (Nutt.) V.L.Harms, found in the Rockies, Black Hills, northern Cascades, and other similar regions; Heterotheca villosa var. minor (Hook.) Semple, found in the Rockies, Cascades, Sierra Nevada, and other similar regions; Heterotheca villosa var. nana (A.Gray) Semple, found in the Rockies and other mountain ranges from South Dakota to Arizona; Heterotheca villosa var. pedunculata (Greene) V.L.Harms ex Semple, found in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah; Heterotheca villosa var. scabra (Eastw.) Semple, found in Mexico and the southwestern United States; Heterotheca villosa var. sierrablancensis Semple, found in New Mexico; and Heterotheca villosa var. villosa, found in the northern Great Plains, Columbia Plateau, and other similar regions. This species is widespread across central and western North America, ranging from Ontario west to British Columbia, and south to Illinois, Kansas, Nuevo León, Guanajuato, and northern Baja California. It grows successfully in dry areas, and also occurs on plains, rocky slopes, and cliffs, at low elevations, and in coniferous forests. Wildflower gardener Claude A. Barr considered Heterotheca villosa a useful garden plant, valued for its abundant masses of bright yellow flowers.
