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FIRST IMPRESSIONS:   Chrysopsis mariana is an upright perennial with deep green foliage. Plants thrive in sun or part shade and adapt to most well drained soils. From late summer until autumn plants bear clusters of cheerful yellow daisies. The golden fall blooms usher in the season of yellow flowers and perfectly complement blue and purple fall asters.  This winning combinations draws the eye and beckons to a bevy of butterflies and other pollinators. 

HABITAT & HARDINESS:  Chrysopsis mariana is native to the eastern United States from New York to Ohio and south from Florida to Texas. Plants are indigenous to well drained uplands and will soon disappear if moisture is excessive.

This is a versatile plant that occurs in the Coastal Plain, Piedmont, Appalachian Plateaus and Blue Ridge regions.  Habitats include dry pinelands, sandhills, open rocky woods, clearings in pine or oak woods, old fields, dry open woods, roadsides and other disturbed areas. 

Plants are hardy from USDA Zones 4-8.

PLANT DESCRIPTION:   Chrysopsis mariana maintains a robust low rosette until late in the season when vertical stems emerge.

Foliage and stems are described as lanose meaning that they are covered with wooly or silky hairs.  As the growing season progresses, much of this pubescence is lost.

The basal leaves are stalked and spatula shaped or oblanceolate with wide rounded tips.  Stem leaves are much smaller with no petioles.

Stems terminate in clusters of yellow daisy-like blooms.  Individual flowers are                                                                                      1-2" across with 13-21 ray florets surrounding a cluster of disc florets. 

Plants bloom over a very long time period from mid-summer through autumn for about 6-8 weeks.   Attractive silvery fluffy seed heads follow.

Average height is about 2’ with an equal spread.

CULTURAL & MAINTENANCE NEEDS:  Chrysopsis mariana flourishes in sun with moist well drained sandy soils.

Plants tolerate drought and leaves are somewhat unpalatable to deer and rabbits.

This golden beauty spreads slowly from short rhizomes and tends to self-seed.  Spent flowers can be removed if seeding is undesirable.  Otherwise, plant Chrysopsis mariana and allow it to seed around until it finds the perfect spot.

This is a short lived perennial or biennial that may disappear if shaded or crowded by taller more aggressive companions.   Usually, though, a few seedlings are left behind.

This durable drought tolerant wildflower is easy to grow and is a wonderful choice for beginning wildflower gardeners.

LANDSCAPE USES:  This is a good choice for a Wildlife Garden or Meadow. Plants are also used as an Accent or Butterfly Nectar Plant or as part of a Grouping or Mass Planting.  Chrysopsis mariana has Showy Blooms and is appropriate for Cottage Gardens, Deer Resistant Plantings, Water-wise Landscapes, Low Maintenance Plantings, Perennial Borders and Roadsides.

COMPANION & UNDERSTUDY PLANTS:  Try pairing Chrysopsis mariana with Asclepias tuberosa, Aster laevis ‘Bluebird’, Liatris aspera, Sporobolus heterolepis, Solidago rugosa ‘Fireworks’, or Schizachyrium scoparium.

Aster laevis ‘Bluebird’ has similar height and cultural needs and would be a suitable substitute if blue flowers were acceptable.  Solidago rugosa ‘Fireworks’ has similar height and cultural needs if yellow flowers are preferable.

TRIVIA:  This species differs from Aster spp. in that flowers are consistently yellow and those of Aster spp. are white, pink or purple.   

Formerly known as Heterotheca mariana, Chrysopsis mariana var. macradenia and Inula mariana.