Late Purple Aster

Symphyotrichum patens (sim-fy-oh-TRY-kum PAT-ens)

Family: Asteraceae Native Herbaceous (3-15 ft)

Spreading aster is a native herbaceous perennial in the Asteraceae (daisy) family. It is found in rocky or sandy open woods and thickets. It has graceful arching stems that reach 2 to 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide. Showy, fragrant blue-purple blooms appear in August and last through October, blooming after most asters are finished and providing late season nectar to pollinators. While it prefers full sun, it does tolerate some shade. Plant in medium to dry well-drained sandy soil. Use it in the front of a border along a woodland edge, or mass plant in a cottage, or rock garden. Nectar from the flowers attract butterflies and bees making it an excellent addition to a pollinator garden. Its high drought and salt tolerance make spreading aster welcome in any coastal 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. VIDEO: Part of the Native Plant Picks series from the North Carolina Sea Grant led Coastal Landscapes Initiative . More information on Symphyotrichum .

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ Reconciled to full toolbox: matched by slug to slug 'symphyotrichum-patens'. Identity (id/common/scientific name) preserved from the original 87-plant Hunnicutt set; attribute data refreshed from the 56-attribute toolbox scrape.