Sandywoods Chaffhead is a native wildflower in the daisy family (Asteraceae) native to dry open wooded areas in the coastal plain and piedmont of the southeastern US. including North Carolina. It prefers full sun to part shade in loose sandy soils and is drought tolerant. Chaffhead grows in clumps and reaches 1-2 feet tall and 1-3 feet wide. The violet, pink to purple disc flowers with prominent long styles appear in summer to fall providing nectar to late-season bees and butterflies. The leaves are in a basal rosette with a few smaller leaves up the flower stem. The fruits are white with long pappus bristles. Use this native wildflower in the woodland, pollinater or drought tolerant garden. Use in the border or small groups. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Dry
Available space
Less than 12 inches; 12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping; Erect
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Oblanceolate; Spatulate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Smooth
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Green basal leaves vary in shape. They are 1.5- 7.5 inches long and gland-dotted. They are oblanceolate to spatulate. Stem leaves are sparse and smaller
Flower color
Blue; Pink; Purple/Lavender
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Corymb
Flower shape
Dome
Flower detail
The violet, pink to purple flower head contains many disc florets with prominent long styles but no ray florets. Appear in branched clusters above the foliage. Blooms Juy-October.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit color
White
Fruit type
Achene
Fruit detail
Achene is rounded with long pappus bristles
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
Green round stems
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
S.E. U.S.A
Distribution
GA , NC , SC , VA
Wildlife value
Butterflies are highly attracted to the nectar in the flowers.