Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
Growing Information
• Plant Type: Perennial
• Sunlight: Prefers full sun
• Soils: Prefers lean, medium-dry soil conditions
• Bloom Time: Light purple flowers in September, October, sometimes into November
• Size: 2 feet in height, stiff stems will branch out giving a bush-like appearance
Native to other parts of the country, this is an aster that can be easily found in retail nurseries to add to late flowering plants to support pollinators. It is the leaves that are aromatic on this
aster. When in bloom, the light purple flowers cover the bush-like plant and slowly bronze to a reddish purple. The plant may “open up” if it gets too top heavy, so a good prune in June is helpful. This aster does well in lean soils.
Garden Companions
Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
Nature Benefits
• Highly resistant to deer and rabbits
• A favorite for butterflies and bees
Native Habitat
In its native range, it occurs in rocky and sandy soils such as those found in prairies and bluffs as well as in moist woodland habitats.