Asters

The flowers on this bushy aster may be small in size but they are packed with nectar and attract a wide variety of native pollinators. In fact we find it to be one of, if not the best aster for this purpose. Non-native honeybees also are strongly attracted to Calico Aster. The ray flowers are white to very pale lavender. The disk flowers start out yellow then fade to a raspberry-purple color that is distinctive. As is the strongly lateral branching that provides the bushy form and allows the plant to be virtually covered in flowers. We also often offer a dark-leaved form ‘Lady in Black’.

One of the best of the native asters for naturalizing – it grows in just about any garden conditions and self-sows freely. Some might even consider it a bit weedy. It’s happiest at the edge of woods. The clouds of blue flowers that appear along our wooded roadsides in the fall are mostly from this species. Like most asters, these flowers are rich in nectar and provide food for numerous butterflies and bees. The caterpillars of Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos) and Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis) butterflies feed on the foliage.

‘Avondale’ is a selection from the Mt. Cuba Center in Delaware – it blooms a little earlier and a little more prolifically than the straight species.

‘Eastern Star,’ a selection from coastal Rhode Island,’ is shorter than the species and has deep dark shining mahogany stems.

What a great aster! Late-blooming, often flowering right up to the first hard frost. Large, showy flowers that smother the plant. Aromatic foliage that deer and rabbits find unpalatable. Drought tolerance, making it a perfect choice for a hot, dry spot. Dense, compact, bushy form and a moderate spreading tendency. Like all Asters, it’s a good food plant for butterflies, bees and other beneficial insects. The stronghold of Aromatic Aster is the Great Plains from Minnesota to Montana south to Texas. It also occurs sporadically in the southeast and reaches as far to the northeast as central Pennsylvania. Given that range, it’s not surprising that it has a preference for calcareous soils, but it seems to be quite adaptable to our area’s acidic soils. Simply put, one of our favorites – not just amongst the asters but amongst all natives!

What a great aster! Late-blooming, often flowering right up to the first hard frost. Large, showy flowers that smother the plant. Aromatic foliage that deer and rabbits find unpalatable. Drought tolerance, making it a perfect choice for a hot, dry spot. Dense, compact, bushy form and a moderate spreading tendency. Like all Asters, it’s a good food plant for butterflies, bees and other beneficial insects. The stronghold of Aromatic Aster is the Great Plains from Minnesota to Montana south to Texas. It also occurs sporadically in the southeast and reaches as far to the northeast as central Pennsylvania. Given that range, it’s not surprising that it has a preference for calcareous soils, but it seems to be quite adaptable to our area’s acidic soils. Simply put, one of our favorites – not just amongst the asters but amongst all natives!