Frost aster is a native herbaceous perennial in the Asteraceae (daisy) family that may grow up to 4 feet tall and wide. One of its common names old field aster comes from its tendency to grow rapidly in disturbed sites. Frost aster prefers full sun and grows well in wet or dry conditions and in rocky or sandy soils. The leaves are alternate with a smooth margin. Both the stem and leaves are covered with fine hairs. The roots are fibrous and form a woody crown. Showy delicate, white flowers daisy-ike with a yellow center first mature in late summer and persist into late fall providing a seed source to song birds over the winter. Because this plant attracts polliantors like butterflies and bees, and the seeds provide a food source for birds and small mammals through the fall and winter this plant makes an exellent addtion to a pollinator or winter garden. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious insect or disease problems. Asters can have some susceptibility to powdery mildew and aster wilt. Poorly-drained clay soils and poor air circulation can contribute to this. Improving drainage and good air circulation helps reduce the incidence of foliar diseases. It is considered weedy in most of the eastern U.S. VIDEO: Part of the Native Plant Picks series from the North Carolina Sea Grant led Coastal Landscapes Initiative . 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)
Soil texture
Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Dry | Occasionally Wet | Very Dry
Available space
12 inches-3 feet; 3 feet-6 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in. | Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping; Erect
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Gray/Silver; Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Velvety
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Alternate with a smooth margin green above gray below, hairy on the edges and petioles.
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; White
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Head
Flower shape
Radial
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Small, white daisy-like flowers 1/2"-3/4" wide cover the top of the plant on the end of stems. Blooms appear late September through November on 4-foot stems. Yellow disk flowers are surrounded by 16-25 white ray flowers.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit type
Achene
Fruit detail
Dry seed (achene) matures in late fall and persists in the winter.
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
Erect, many branches, smooth or with long soft hairs
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
North America
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
Butterflies; Pollinators; Small Mammals; Songbirds; Specialized Bees