(Italian Aster)

This southeastern European native produces lots of cool blue daisies from late summer to fall. Though technically a perennial subshrub, it is often short-lived, so it is best planted as a seasonal annual. Natural populations extend across the Caucasus Mountains and down to Armenia and exist in open, rocky ground.

The tidy plants form clumps of lance-shaped or oval leaves that may be medium to gray-green. The foliage is markedly mildew resistant. Branched clusters of colorful daisies appear...

(Italian Aster, Violet Queen Italian Aster)

Pretty yellow-eyed violet daisies blanket 'Violet Queen' in summer or fall. This exceptional European cultivar is also compact and forms neat clumps. It's free blooming and strong-stemmed, so it rarely requires staking.

This southeastern European native produces lots of cool blue daisies from late summer to fall. Though technically a perennial subshrub, it is often short-lived, so it is best planted as a seasonal annual. Natural populations extend across the Caucasus Mountains and down to...

(Blue Wood Aster)

Blue wood aster is a clump-forming perennial found naturally in open, woodland areas throughout most of eastern North America. Tough but lovely, it is valued as a garden plant for its late-season display of showy, pale blue flowers and for its ability to withstand dry, shady conditions.

The slender, branched stems of this aster are lined alternately with smooth, elongated, heart-shaped leaves. Airy panicles of small but numerous, light blue daisies appear from midsummer to autumn. The yellow-centered...

(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...