Woolly Beach Heath

Hudsonia tomentosa
An evergreen low shrub, reaching up to 8 inches x 3.5 feet, that is native to northern North America ( from British Columbia to northeast Alberta to Northwest Territories to Kenora, Ontario around the northern shore of Lake Superior to Constance Bay Sandhills near Ottawa ( formerly ) to Nova Scotia; south to eastern North Dakota to central Minnesota to northern Illinois to northern Ohio to Delaware and New Jersey. It is extinct in Ohio; endangered in North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ontario, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Vermont. In Michigan, it is typically found on sand dunes along the Great Lakes but has also been found on sandy open jack pine scrub in the middle of the lower peninsula. It has declined considerably in much of its range due to destruction of its sand dune habitat for the contruction of cottages and waterfront homes. In Alberta, it is mostly found on the shores of Lake Athabasca. It was likely originally more abundant but is now absent from southern Ontario except along the Ottawa River from Haileybury to Ottawa and also east of Port Colborne on Lake Erie. It is found on sand dunes and open pine woods in the wild. Its long wiry taproot makes it especially well suited for growing on sand dunes.
The scale-like leaves are up to 0.2 inches long. The bright yellow flowers, up to 0.3 inches wide, appear during mid-summer.
Hardy zones 1 to 6 in full sun on sandy, well drained soil.

* photos taken on Sep 16 2016 @ Patuxent Research Refuge, Laurel, MD