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Pityopsis graminifolia - Common Names: SIlky Golden-Aster, Silkgrass, Silver-Leafed Aster

Book Info: Variable size to 2 1/2 feet, Silvery grassy foliage, bloom time variable, sandy soil -- (books do not agree on some characteristics)

Personal Info: One plant added (accidently) to my yard in summer of 2005, Blooming heavily in fall (November), attracted a fair number of small pollinators, mostly bees. Attractive even when not in bloom -- will likely plant more.

Update: I added two more plants in 2006, but will likely never be without it now. During a very dry 2007 summer season, it did very well when other wildflowers were struggling and has spread itself around the front yard by seed and I think also underground. I can easily see where the name silkGRASS came from since it looks a lot like grass where it is coming up in numbers. I think it might make a wonderful groundcover and I'm happy to have it on my little "prairie", having seen it blooming in the midst of the grasses in fall at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve. A bonus was that a few of the flowers bloomed nearly throughout the winter months.

This was one of the most asked about plants in my yard during the Pinellas chapter Florida Native Plant Society Yard Tour in September 2008 -- and it wasn't even blooming.