Also known as spreading aster, this beauty has graceful, arching stems clad in rough-textured leaves. Each stem produces a single, violet-blue flower at its tip. It keeps blooming after most asters have finished, so it's a good source of food for late-season pollinators. It's easily grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Most asters are prone to powdery mildew, but good air circulation helps to reduce risk of disease. Poorly drained clay soils may cause wilting.
 
Plant Characteristics:
Grows 2-3' tall and 1.5-2' wide.
 
Prefers full sun but tolerates some shade.
 
Prefers average to dry, rocky or sandy soils but adapts to other soil types.
 
Blooms August-October with 1" yellow-centered, daisy-like flowers.
 
Untoothed, stem-clasping, ovate-oblong leaves (to 2" long) are rough-textured and hairy.
 
Reproductive System: Disc flowers are hermaphroditic (having both male and female organs) and are pollinated by insects.
 
Wildlife Value: Host plant for 112 species of Lepidoptera larvae, including silvery checkerspot butterfly and specialists aster flowerhead caterpillar, aster-head phaneta, Essex phaneta, and Hoffman's cochlid moth. Asters supports 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. Wild turkeys, upland game birds, and deer occasionally browse the seeds and foliage.
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