Photo Gallery of Common Prairie Plants

(Heterotheca villosa) Bloom Time: Summer – Fall (June – October) Location: prefers sun and dry, well-drained conditions. Often found in open fields, waste areas or those characterized by frequent disturbances, and along roadsides. Relatively common in Minnesota (general). Found on Hillside Prairie (Arb). Family: Aster (Asteraceae) Physical Description: stems branch at the top into clusters of flowers comprised of 10-35 radiating yellow petals and a cluster of yellow disk flowers. Leaves are alternate, toothless, stalkless, and often covered in long white hairs (as is the stem). Quick Facts: There are actually four species of Golden Aster in Minnesota, but it is difficult to differentiate between them. For this reason, the different species are often lumped under the all-encompassing label “golden aster”. This plant is not a true aster, but actually in the sunflower family (a subset of Asteraceae). No true asters are yellow.