| Author | (Nuttall) Semple | |
| Distribution | Known only from the Sandhills and adjacent lower Piedmont. First collected in 1949 SW of Kipling, Harnett County. Today it can be seen in several locations along US 1 in Richmond County.
Native of MO and KS south to LA and TX. Adventive eastward (VA and KY south to FL and MS). | |
| Abundance | Rare to uncommon, but populations are long-persistent. It is increasing slowly, and can be locally common now in the southern part of the Sandhills. | |
| Habitat | Dry sandy roadsides, military airfields, disturbed oak-pine barrens. | |
| Phenology | Flowering and fruiting June-October. | |
| Identification | Soft Golden-aster is a rather tall and erect plant (2-3 feet) and very leafy. The abundant leaves, essentially all strongly ascending, gradually become smaller up the stem. It has a different gestalt than our other golden-asters and can be identified from a passing car, even without seeing the quite pilose stem and leaves. | |
| Taxonomic Comments | Previously it had been placed in Chrysopsis and Heterotheca. It is now one of just 2 species in this "new" genus.
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| Other Common Name(s) | | |
| State Rank | SE * | |
| Global Rank | G5 | |
| State Status | | |
| US Status | | |
| USACE-agcp | | |
| USACE-emp | | |
