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orange agoseris

Agoseris aurantiaca · Asteraceae

orange agoseris (Agoseris aurantiaca)
Photo: (c) Kate Crowell Walker, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · via iNaturalist

orange agoseris (Agoseris aurantiaca) is a perennial herbaceous plant in the Asteraceae family. It is native to North America. USDA records it as hardy in zone 3 and warmer, down to about -33°F.

At a glance

Typeforb-herb Derived
Lifecycleperennial USDA
Native statusnative USDA
Mature height1 ft USDA
Lightfull-sun USDA
Water needmedium USDA
Growth raterapid USDA
Soil pH6.6–7.5 USDA
BloomApril–May USDA
Flower colorOrange USDA
Hardiness zones3 and warmer USDA
Guild layerground-cover Derived
Nursery availabilityContracting Only USDA

USDA quoted from the USDA PLANTS database · Derived computed by a fixed rule from those columns. No value on this page is estimated.

Growing conditions

It needs full sun. USDA rates it as having moderate water needs. Its drought tolerance is rated medium. It will not tolerate waterlogged soil — USDA rates its anaerobic tolerance as none. It is recorded on soils from pH 6.6 to 7.5 — a broad range that spans acidic through mildly alkaline ground. Its cold limit is zone 3.

Size and growth

At maturity it reaches about 1 ft, making it a low, mat-forming plant. It grows quickly.

Bloom period

USDA records a bloom period of April through May. Flowers are orange.

A flowering date, not a pollinator rating.

Foliage, flower and season

Summer foliage is green, medium in texture. Its flowers are conspicuous. Its fruit or seed heads are conspicuous, extending interest past flowering. Its active growth period is spring and summer. USDA rates its lifespan as short, so plan on replacing or resowing it rather than treating it as permanent structure.

What the site needs to provide

USDA records it across sites receiving 19 to 69 inches of annual precipitation. It needs at least 120 frost-free days to finish its season. It roots to at least 6 inches. Fertility requirement: low — no feeding needed on ordinary garden soil.

Propagating it

Seed is the only propagation method USDA lists. Division and cuttings are not listed as options. USDA records no cold-stratification requirement, so seed should germinate without a chilling period. Its seed spreads at a moderate rate. It does not spread vegetatively, so it will stay where you put it.

Resilience and wildlife

Browsing animals find it moderately palatable, so expect deer and rabbits to take an interest. Its fire tolerance is rated medium. Its growth form is recorded as single crown.

Role in a guild

Ground cover. In a layered planting this is the lowest layer — it shades soil, holds moisture, and suppresses weeds. The layer is derived by a fixed rule from growth habit and mature height.

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Tags

deciduousdrought-toleranthedgeclay-tolerantsandy-soilnativefull-sunfast-growingground-cover

Related plants

Others in Agoseris

Similar role and hardiness

Where this data comes from

Every value on this page comes from the USDA PLANTS database record for symbol AGAU2, or is computed from those values by a fixed rule. Nothing here is estimated or model-generated. Where USDA publishes no value, this page omits the claim rather than filling the gap.

Read our full data sources and methodology.

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