Asters are excellent, colorful additions to most gardens, providing an important floral resource in the fall for late-season foraging bees and bees that over-winter, such as new bumble bee queens and female sweat bees.

 

Native Regions

Nationwide, United States and Canada

 

Availability

Routinely available and easily grown in most parts of North America

 

Duration

Perennial

 

Bloom Time

Late summer, fall

 

Average Height

2.5 feet

 

Flower Color

White

Pink

Blue

Purple

Yellow

 

Exposure

Full sun, partial shade

 

Water Requirements

Average to wet

 

Recommended Species

Symphyotrichum laeve (smooth blue aster) is a native aster found throughout the U.S. and Canada. It has a lavender-blue hue, blooms August through October in most regions and is commercially available.

 

Symphyotrichum ericoides (white heath aster) is native to most parts of the U.S. and Canada and is widely available. Flower color of this species can be white, pink, yellow or blue and it blooms August through October.

 

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae (New England aster) is found in most parts of the United States, growing naturally in prairie swales and wet meadows. It is considered the showiest of native asters, having many bright purple flowers, and is commercially available.

 

Numerous long-blooming garden cultivars exist for plants in this genus, such as Monch (Aster X frikartii), which blooms for three to four months, beginning in mid-summer.