Smooth Aster is a herbaceous perennial in the aster family that is native to central and eastern USA. It is a must-have for the garden due to the late-season blooms and the many pollinators it attracts. The 2-4 feet tall plant is covered in daisy-like purplish-blue flowers in Sept. to late fall. Asters are easy to grow in well-drained average garden soil in full sun to partial shade and tolerate drought once established. Use in the border, a pollinator garden or naturalized areas. Will self-seed. More information on Symphyotrichum .
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
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Spreading
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Ovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
The leaves alternate and are lance to egg-shaped with a smooth margin. The leaves partly encircle the stem. Upper leaves are smaller and closer together with lower leaves being larger and spaced further apart.
Flower color
Blue; Purple/Lavender
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Head; Panicle
Flower shape
Radial
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Many 1/2-1 inch composite violet to blue ray flowers with 15-30 petals and yellow disc flowers in the center. Blooms in early September through late fall.
Bloom time
Fall
Fruit type
Achene
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Produces a dry, one-seeded fruit (achene) tipped with red bristles. It displays from October to November
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Green
Stem detail
Green stems that turn brown with age. Glabrous and sometimes glaucous.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Central & Eastern Canada North Central & Eastern U.S.A
Distribution
AL , AR , CT , DC , DE , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MS , NC , NE , NH , NJ , NY , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , TN , VA , VT , WI , WV
Wildlife value
Host plant for the Pearl Crescent butterfly. Flowers are attractive to bees and butterflies. Songbirds and small mammals eat the seeds. Members of the genus Symphyotrichum support the following specialized bees: Andrena (Callandrena s.l.) asteris, Andrena (Callandrena s.l.) asteroides, Andrena (Cnemidandrena) hirticincta, Andrena (Cnemidandrena) nubecula, Andrena (Callandrena s.l.) placata, Andrena (Callandrena s.l.) simplex, and Colletes simulans.
Attracts
Bees; Butterflies; Pollinators; Predatory Insects; Small Mammals; Songbirds; Specialized Bees