Chrysopsis mariana (Maryland Golden-aster) - NC Ecotype
Chrysopsis mariana is an often overlooked wildflower with many advantages in the garden. For one, it is a major food source for many rare native bee species and blooms for weeks in late summer to fall. It is also tolerant of poor, dry soils, resistant to deer browse, and only grows up to 2 feet, pairing well with other garden perennials.
Chrysopsis mariana is an often overlooked wildflower with many advantages in the garden. For one, it is a major food source for many rare native bee species and blooms for weeks in late summer to fall. It is also tolerant of poor, dry soils, resistant to deer browse, and only grows up to 2 feet, pairing well with other garden perennials.
Chrysopsis mariana is an often overlooked wildflower with many advantages in the garden. For one, it is a major food source for many rare native bee species and blooms for weeks in late summer to fall. It is also tolerant of poor, dry soils, resistant to deer browse, and only grows up to 2 feet, pairing well with other garden perennials.
NC Ecotype! Finding hardy wildflowers that work well in a neat garden space can sometimes be challenging, but that’s where Chrysopsis mariana comes in. This beautiful plant appears delicate but is in fact very hardy. It tolerates a range of soil conditions, including drought, rain gardens, and poor quality soils. And while performs best in full sun with some moisture, it can still produce prolific flowers in any condition. It is a late bloomer - literally, but even its dense foliage won’t appear until summer, and even in this case its stalks are only 1 to 2 feet high, blending well with other perennials. It can reseed in the landscape, but is not as long-lived as other perennials, so it is not considered aggressive or weedy. It is also very deer resistant, likely more from its growth habit than any toxicity.
Chrysopsis mariana can frequently be found in the wild throughout the Southeast, but is overlooked as a garden plant despite its significant benefit to pollinators. It can bloom for many weeks, sometimes well into the fall, and is attractive to both bees and butterflies. One primary advantage is to more than a dozen species of rare native specialist bees. And for some, this may be the only species available to them as a food source for miles.
Pollinators: bumblebees, cellophane bees, leafcutter bees, long-horned bees, miner bees, sweat bees, butterflies
Host Plant for Butterflies/Moths: Half-yellow Moth (Ponometia semiflava), Camphorweed Owlet (Cucullia alfarata), 3+ other species
Dependent species: 18+ specialist bee species across our region feed on Chrysopsis
Wildlife Value: Winter cover
Deer Resistance: Excellent
Native Region: Appalachian Mountains, Piedmont, Coastal Plain
Seed Origin: Orange County, NC
Ecoregion: 45 - Piedmont
Light Recommendation: Full Sun, Part Sun
Soil Moisture Recommendation: Medium-Wet, Moist, Medium, Medium-dry
USDA Zones: 4-9
States found in our region: AL, DE, GA, KY, MD, NC, PA, SC, TN, VA, WV
Other states found: FL, LA, MS, NJ, NY, OH, RI, TX