Native Plant Database

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Size Notes: 1-2 feet.
Fruit:
Size Class: 1-3 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Purple , Violet
Bloom Time: Sep , Oct , Nov

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , CO , DC , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , MD , MN , MO , MS , MT , NC , ND , NE , NM , OH , OK , PA , SD , TN , TX , VA , WI , WV , WY
Native Distribution: PA to NC, w. to n.e. WY & TX
Native Habitat: Frequent in calcareous prairies of Edwards Plateau and lower plains Country. Well-drained sand, loam, clay, caliche, limestone.
USDA Native Status: L48(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry , Moist
Cold Tolerant: yes
Heat Tolerant: yes
Soil Description: Rocky, calcareous or sandy soils. Well drained.
Conditions Comments: Fall aster creates dazzling purple mounds in the fall season. It slowly colonizes by stolons, so thin regularly to control it. The plant may open up if it gets to top heavy so it is a good idea to keep it thick by pruning it back by no more than half in June. After it goes dormant, wait to cut back to the basal rosette in late fall, early winter.

Benefit

Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Nectar Source: yes

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees
Supports Conservation Biological Control

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Propagation

Propagation Material: Seeds
Description: Sow seeds, 5/8 deep, outside in fall or provide cold stratification. Also propagated by softwood cuttings taken in late spring.
Seed Collection: Not Available
Seed Treatment: Not Available
Commercially Avail: yes

Mr. Smarty Plants says

Native flowers for Door County, Wisconsin
September 02, 2009
We recently were required to put in a new septic system on our vacation property in Door County, WI. This left us with a clearing on our wooded lot where the septic field is now located. The installer...
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From the National Suppliers Directory

According to the inventory provided by Associate Suppliers, this plant is available at the following locations:

Edge of the Woods Native Plant Nursery - Orefield, PA
Enchanter's Garden - Hinton, WV

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
Delaware Nature Society - Hockessin, DE
Native Plant Society of Texas - Fredericksburg, TX
Longwood Gardens - Newark, DE
NPSOT - Austin Chapter - Austin, TX
NPSOT - Williamson County Chapter - Georgetown, TX, TX

Bibliography

Bibref 946 - Gardening with Prairie Plants: How to Create Beautiful Native Landscapes (2002) Wasowski, Sally
Bibref 318 - Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region (2002) Wasowski, S. & A. Wasowski
* The Midwestern Native Garden: Native Alternatives to Nonnative Flowers and Plants An Illustrated Guide (2011) Adelman, Charlotte and Schwartz, Bernard L.

Search More Titles in Bibliography

From the Archive

Wildflower Newsletter 1987 VOL. 4, NO.3 - Fall Planting Highlights the Season, Jubilee Celebration Commences December 1987...

Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Symphyotrichum oblongifolium in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Symphyotrichum oblongifolium in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Symphyotrichum oblongifolium