Maryland Golden Aster

Chrysopsis mariana

Maryland golden aster is a fall-blooming sunshine machine for dry, sandy soils. The flowers are a saturated butter-yellow, smaller than sunflowers but covering the plant densely in August through October, creating a warm golden mass at exactly the time when most dry-site gardens go quiet. The foliage is woolly and silver-green, giving it attractive texture all season before the bloom explosion. Native to dry, open habitats -- sandy roadsides, pine barrens, dry meadows -- this is the plant for sites where drainage is sharp and summer heat is intense. A genuinely overlooked native that outperforms many popular dry-site choices while providing excellent late-season pollinator value. Cut flower potential is real, though the stems are shorter than ideal.