(White Wood Aster)

This colonizing perennial is a common resident of dry, open wooded areas across much of eastern North America. Delicate in appearance but easy to grow, it is valued for its clouds of small, white daisies produced at summer’s end.

The wiry, branched, upright to lax stems of white wood aster arise from wandering underground rhizomes. The stems are often purple-tinged. Toothed, oval to lance-shaped leaves alternate along the stems, becoming narrower and shorter-stalked toward the stem tips. Loose,...

(White Wood Aster)

Selected from a coastal Rhode Island population of white wood aster, 'Eastern Star' is distinguished by its dark-hued, relatively compact stems. The parent species is a colonizing perennial common to dry, open wooded areas across much of eastern North America. Delicate in appearance but easy to grow, it is valued for its clouds of small, white daisies produced at summer’s end.

The wiry, branched, upright to lax stems of white wood aster arise from wandering underground rhizomes. The stems of...

(Bushy Aster, Long-stalk Aster)

Bushy aster is a spreading, herbaceous perennial native throughout much of eastern North America, where it favors moist soils in open to lightly shaded areas. Lovely but easy to grow, it is valued for its showy display of dainty, colorful blossoms that brighten the landscape at summer’s end.

The many-branched, sometimes woody stems of this wildflower emerge from rhizomes (underground, lateral stems) which spread to form colonies. The small, smooth, green leaves are elliptical to lance-shaped,...

(Heath Aster)

Heath aster is a tough, drought-tolerant perennial native to much of central and eastern North America. Named for its finely textured, needle-like foliage, it is valued in gardens for its airy, late-season display of small, white, occasionally pale pink or light blue daisies and is popular for use as a long-lasting filler for bouquets. Several cultivars exist, including ‘Pink Star’, which forms mounds of pale lavender-pink flowers, and ‘Snow Flurry’, an exceptionally low-growing form with drifts...

(Blue Star Aster, Heath Aster)

A form of the North American native heath aster, ‘Blue Star’ produces a generous display of small but profuse, pale-blue daisies on arching, open, many-branched stems lined with short, narrow, needle-like leaves. The dainty, yellow-eyed blooms color the garden from late summer to autumn, and are highly attractive to butterflies and other small, pollinating insects.

This tough, drought-tolerant perennial grows easily in full sun and adaptable to a range of well-drained soils. If allowed, it...

(Heath Aster, Sungal Heath Aster)

A form of the North American native heath aster, ‘Pink Cloud’ produces a generous display of small but profuse, pale-pink daisies on arching, open, many-branched stems lined with short, narrow, needle-like leaves. The dainty, yellow-eyed blooms appear from late summer to autumn, and are highly attractive to butterflies and other small, pollinating insects.

This tough, drought-tolerant perennial grows easily in full sun and adaptable to a range of well-drained soils. If allowed, it may self-sow...

(Prostrate Heath Aster)

Heath aster is a tough, drought-tolerant perennial native to much of central and eastern North America. Its well-branched stems are densely lined with fine textured, deep green, needle-like foliage. Heath asters sold under the name prostratus typically have trailing, ground-hugging stems. Drifts of small, bright white daisies with yellow centers cover the plants in autumn, and are highly attractive to butterflies and other small pollinating insects. Plants are self-sterile, but may produce...

(Prostrate Heath Aster)

This ground-hugging, fine-leaved perennial covers itself with small, snowy "daisies" in late summer and early fall. It is a cultivar of heath aster, a tough, drought-tolerant perennial native to much of central and eastern North America.

The well-branched, prostrate stems of 'Snowdrift' are densely lined with fine textured, deep green, needle-like foliage. Drifts of petite, bright white, daisy-like blossoms with yellow centers cover the plants in autumn, and are highly attractive to butterflies...

(Prostrate Heath Aster, Snow Flurry Heath Aster)

Aster ‘Snow Flurry’ is a prostrate form of heath aster, a tough, drought-tolerant perennial native to North America. It forms a very low-growing, spreading mat of short, narrow, needle-like foliage which is carpeted with many small, white, yellow-centered daisies from early to mid-autumn. Its dainty blooms are highly attractive to bees and butterflies, and add a breath of freshness to the garden following the tired, faded tones of late summer.

This distinctive perennial thrives in full sun...

(Smooth Blue Aster)

Smooth aster is a clump-forming, herbaceous perennial found naturally in grasslands and open, wooded areas throughout much of central and eastern North America. It sends up several sturdy, often purple-tinted stems lined alternately with broadly lance-shaped, glaucous foliage that clasps the stems, and tends to remain fresh, green and attractive throughout the growing season. Both stems and leaves of this species are smooth and hairless, unlike those of most other asters. Panicles of showy, lavender...