Symphyotrichum oblongifolium / Aromatic Aster (Aster Family)

One of the last asters to bloom in the fall, you and the bees can enjoy purple blooms well into November. Bright yellow centers of flowers will turn a deep red once pollinated–a fun change to watch as the bloom progresses. This shrub-like aster will spread moderately fast through a robust system of underground rhizomes. Its the leaves when crushed that give off an aroma rather than the flowers themselves.

Blooms: Blue-violet, 6-8 weeks, Oct-Nov
Leaves: Medium green, 2”, lanceolate, simple, smooth, evergreen basal rosette
Height: 1-3’
Space: 2-3’
Soil: Avg.
Exposure: Full sun to Part Sun
Fauna: Bees, flies, butterflies, other small insects, host plant to several species of moths and butterflies
Seeds: Small tufts of tan hair attached to seeds
Deer Resistance: High
Zone: 3-8
Native Status: NC native, uncommon in the mountains
Provenance: Unknown, asexually propagated