Symphyotrichum ciliolatum
A rhizomatous perennial native to Canada and the northern United States, forming tall, clump-forming stems with blue to bluish-purple ray florets and yellow disc florets, blooming from late July to October in boreal North American woodlands and edges, and spreading to form patches in forests, edges, and disturbed habitats.
Common Names
Lindley's Aster, Fringed Blue Aster, Northern Heart-leaved Aster, Lindley's American-Aster, Ciliolate Aster, Rayless Annual Aster, Aster Cilié, Aster Ciliolé
Summary
Native to Canada and the northern United States, this herbaceous perennial forms colonies via long rhizomes and grows 10–120 cm tall with erect stems. Basal leaves are ovate and wither by flowering, while cauline leaves are winged-petiolate; flower heads are arranged in open paniculiform arrays with 12–20 blue to bluish-purple ray florets surrounding yellow disc florets that redden with age. Flowering occurs from late July to October. It thrives in rich, open, often calcareous boreal deciduous forests, forest edges, clearings, streambanks, trails, and roadsides from 0 to 2000+ meters, and hybridizes with S. laeve var. laeve or var. geyeri and with S. novi-belgii var. novi-belgii in overlapping ranges.
Cultivation and uses: tolerates full sun to partial shade and average to moderately dry soils; spreads by long rhizomes to form patches, requiring space or containment. It is grown ornamentally in native and pollinator gardens and features nectar-rich flowers that support pollinators.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
3-4 feet
Sunlight Requirements
Full sun to partial shade.
Soil Type
Calcareous soil
Soil Drainage
Average to moderately dry soils
Soil pH
Alkaline (calcareous) soil
Bloom Color
Blue to bluish purple
Bloom Time
Summer and Fall
Foliage Color
bluish green
Leaf Lifecycle
Deciduous
Growth Rate
Fast
Seasons of Interest
Summer and Fall
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Division (via rhizomes)
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts bees, Attracts butterflies, Attracts other pollinators
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- (Lindl.) Á.Löve & D.Löve
- Publication
- Taxon 31(2): 359 (1982):.
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Asterales
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Subfamily
- Asteroideae
- Tribe
- Astereae
- Subtribe
- Symphyotrichinae
- Genus
- Symphyotrichum
Inferior Taxa
Symphyotrichum ciliolatum var. ciliolatum
Synonyms
Aster ciliolatus Aster ciliolatus var. ciliolatus Aster praecox Symphyotrichum ciliolatum var. comatum Aster ciliolatus var. comatus Aster lindleyanus var. comatus Aster lindleyanus var. ciliolatus Aster lindleyanus var. eximius Aster lindleyanus var. borealis Aster ciliolatus var. borealis Aster wilsonii Aster serratifolius Aster saundersii Aster sanguineus Aster lindleyanus var. lindleyanus Aster lindleyanus Aster paniculatus Aster ciliolatus f. ciliolatus