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Will the Real New England Aster Please Stand Up?
- Tracy W.
- 1 day ago
- 6 min read
'Daydream Lavender' New York Aster Frost Aster 'Lady in Black' Calico Aster 'Hazy Dark Pink' New York Aster Aromatic Aster 'Raydon's Favorite' New England Aster 'Alma Potschke' Aromatic Aster (straight species)
This post is otherwise known as:
I Promise These Are Different:
An Aster Identification Rant
And
Stop Calling Everything a Daisy:
An Aster Deep-Dive
Or--
The "Is That a Weed or a Rare Perennial?"
Guide to Asters at Painters
Plus,
The Aster Games:
May the Odds of Identification Be Ever in Your Favor
A.K.A.
Aster? I Hardly Know Her!
A Beginner’s Guide to Aster ID at Painters
(At Painters, we have such a long and multilayered relationship with asters that the titles kept coming. These might nudge you in the direction we are going here...)
But first!... a short and germane anecdote:
I can never once think of asters without thinking of my husband.
"Faster aster," says my silly dude on every fall hike we ever embark upon. "Faster aster," he points and winks. "Faster aster," in another mnemonic tap. (It's habit now. Likely just a steady way to punctuate the walk, but, man, there sure are a lot of asters out here!)
A techie who married this nature-loving Luddite, he's pretty proud of the fact that he can identify this favorite pollinator plant among the native viburnums, rhodos, and oaks on our walk. His earnest appreciation makes me smile.
So, in gentleness, I haven't yet told him of the KINDS of asters. Species. Varieties. Different habits and habitats. Various leaf traits. Distinct flower bracts. No. There is no need to strip that shiny accomplishment from him just now. No need to thrust him into the Cimmerian world of convoluted plant-I.D. like the rest of us!
Because at the end of the day, you don’t need a botany degree to appreciate an aster. Whether you can name an exact species on site or simply point and say “aster,” these plants deliver on almost every gardener's wishlist: want a stunning fall blooming plant? (CHECK.) Looking to support migrating butterflies and tired bees? (CHECK.) Need something that is tough, adaptable, and easy to grow? (CHECK.) These attributes apply to asters in general.
Now figuring out the right aster (and matching it to its best location) is where the fun starts—and it's also where knowing your species comes in handy!
Basic Aster I.D.
Aromatic Aster - Straight Species New England Aster - Straight Species New York Aster
Among common WNC asters, I find that most folks usually know a Frost Aster when they see one--who can resist its happy charm! And Heart-Leafed Wood Asters are quite unique in leaf, flower, and location. Even Calico Asters are distinct enough to have a good go at i.d. with their spectrum of color in the centers and their small flowers clustered on just the one side of horizontal stems (a.k.a. side-flowering aster). But when it comes to the most domestically grown and easily confused native stars--Aromatic, New England, and New York asters--I have to admit that I am repeatedly stumped on telling them apart!
Botanists and naturalists (of which there are at Painters, but I am not one!) have ways of identifying asters based on a series of distinct attributes. And there are great resources out there for really digging in (A great one! https://namethatplant.net/keys/key_aster.shtml). I certainly will not know them all, but I have a few tricks for winnowing down the basics. So whether you're trying to figure out what's already popping up in your yard or trying to tell apart similar greenhouse finds, you won't have to memorize every attribute. Here's my quick sheet for the straight species natives: (Note: cultivars may have different heights, habits and colors than the species):
Feature | Aromatic Aster | New England Aster | New York Aster |
Growth Habit | Low, bushy mound, almost shrub-like | Tall, upright, clumping | Tall, upright, spreading |
Average Height | 1 to 3 feet | 3 to 6 feet | 3 to 5 feet |
Foliage Scent | Strong, rigid balsam aroma | Faintly resinous or none | No distinct scent |
Stem & Leaf Texture | Densely hairy and stiff | Softly hairy and sticky | Smooth and hairless |
Bloom Timing | Very late fall | Late summer to early fall | Late summer to early fall |
Clasping Leaves | Do not wrap around the stem at all | Heavily clasping leaves | Clasp the stem very lightly if at all |
Key Identifying Feature | Rigid aromatic leaves, dynamic late blue-purple blooms | Sticky gland-tipped hairs on flower heads, intense purple-pink rays | Bright yellow disk centers, smooth stems with smooth toothless leaves |
Right Plant Right Place
So it’s clear that “aster” isn’t one static look! And once we’ve committed to planting them, knowing which is which helps you match the right plant to YOUR space. Do you have edge gardens resembling a shady woodland floor? Or might you be looking to plant on a sun-drenched, prairie-like border? Are you searching for low mounding flowers for the edge of a walkway or six-foot-tall towers for back-of-the-bed color? Should the habit be tidy and well-behaved or will you appreciate some wilder, wandering plants to naturalize an area?
Let's start with the asters we commonly carry at Painters and a few ways to find the one right for your needs. Feel free to shout “Faster Aster” whenever the mood strikes!
Native Straight Species Asters
Frost Asters at Painters Calico Asters Heart-Leafed Asters
Frost Aster Symphyotrichum pilosum
NATIVE perennial (z4-8) full-part sun, 2-4' tall and wide
White blooms late summer through fall; fine hairs covering leaves and stems give the appearance of frost, thrives in open fields and spaces where it can freely self-seed
Calico Aster Symphyotrichum lateriflorum
NATIVE perennial (z4-8) full sun-part shade, 2-3' tall and wide
Easy care; tolerates flood and drought
Named for the variety of colors displayed in the flowers' centers, ranging from yellow to purple
Small flowers clustered on just the one side of horizontal stems (a.k.a. side-flowering aster)
Blue Wood Aster Symphyotrichum cordifolium (Heart-Leafed)
NATIVE perennial (z3-8) full sun-part shade, 3-4' tall, 1-2' wide
Prefers partial shady conditions and appreciates good air circulation
Great for a woodland garden or naturalized area
A late-season boon for pollinators, when many other perennials are winding down
New England Aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
NATIVE perennial (z4-8) full-part sun, 3-6' tall, 2-3' wide
Profuse purple blooms late summer to fall; thrives in rich, moist, well-drained soil with good air circulation
Highly valuable for a vast range of wildlife, from bees and butterflies to birds and small mammals
Aromatic Aster Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
NATIVE perennial (z3-8) full sun, 1-3' tall and wide
Fragrant blue-green foliage;
It thrives in dry, rocky, or poor soils, whereas New England and New York asters prefer richer, moister ground.
It is often the very last wildflower to bloom in autumn, frequently lasting well into November.
Hybrids and Nativars
The plants we carry will vary from season to season at Painters depending on sourcing and what we love to grow most! This list is for Fall 2026:
'Thunderdome' hybrid New York Aster 'Hazy Dark Pink' nativar 'Dragon Blue' New York Aster
Aster hybrid Symphyotrichum oblongifolium x novae-angliae Aster 'Thunderdome'
NATIVAR perennial (z4-8) full-part sun, 3-4' tall, 2-3' wide
Deep purple blooms late summer to fall provide abundant autumn beauty and food for pollinators; aromatic foliage is deer and rabbit resistant
New England Aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae 'Grape Crush'
NATIVAR perennial (z3-8) full sun-part shade, 2' tall, 3' wide
Rounded, mounding habit, smothered with densely packed, rich purple flowers in fall -- provides a feast for pollinators as well as a fabulously carefree end-of-season display
Thrives in rich, evenly moist soil with good air circulation
Drought tolerant, butterflies, cut flowers, resembles a mum, but hardy
New York Aster Symphyotrichum novi-belgii 'Believer Purple'
NATIVAR perennial (z3-8) full sun-part shade, 12-18'' tall and wide
Sturdy, compact cultivar with cheery purple blooms late summer to fall
Thrives in rich, moist soil; deer resistant, juglone tolerant
New York Aster Symphyotrichum novi-belgii 'Daydream Lavender'
NATIVAR perennial (z3-8) full sun-part shade, 1-2' tall and wide
Sturdy, compact cultivar with pale purple blooms
New York Aster Symphyotrichum novi-belgii 'Dragon Blue'
NATIVAR perennial (z4-8) full sun, 12-18'' tall and wide
Compact cultivar with bright purple-blue blooms
New York Aster Symphyotrichum novi-belgii 'Hazy Dark Pink'
NATIVAR perennial (z3-8) full sun, 12-15'' tall and wide
Compact cultivar, smothered in rich pink flowers
And More Ornamental Asters
We carry a range of choices of beautiful and beneficial non-native asters each year. Here are a few we can't help but love:
Heath Aster 'Snow Flurry' Sky Blue Aster at Painters
Heath Aster Symphyotrichum ericoides 'Snow Flurry'
Perennial (z5-8) full-part sun, 6-8'' tall, 18-24'' wide
Species native to dry prairies and roadsides of most of N. America; prostrate cultivar that forms a low, dense groundcover
Smothered with tiny white flowers in fall; feeds butterflies late in the season when other blooms have faded
Sky Blue Aster Symphyotrichum oolentangiense
Perennial (z3-8) full sun, 2-3' tall, 1-2' wide
Native to central and eastern N. America, named after the Olentangy River in Ohio where it was discovered; endangered in much of its native range due to destruction of prairies and overmowing of roadsides
Pale purple-blue blooms in fall, great for pollinators
Drought tolerant; must have well-drained soil to thrive
Climbing Aster Ampelaster carolinianus
Perennial (z6-9) full sun-part shade, 6-10' tall, 3-6' wide
Native to the southeastern coastal plain, including a small part of NC; exceptionally beautiful and valuable to a wide range of wildlife
Sprawling, climbing habit, ideal for a fence or arbor; smothered in lavender-pink blooms late summer to frost
