White Prairie Aster
White Prairie aster (Symphyotrichum ericoides) is a perennial that grows in the grasslands, meadows, and open forests in our area. White prairie aster and white heath aster (Symphyotrichum falcatum) are very similar.
- From rhizomes, rough and hairy stems grow to 15 – 60 cm in height, though the stems often have a more slanted growth pattern when fully flowered.
- Numerous green linear rough-margined leaves cover the stems and the branched stems.
- The lower leaves usually fall off in summer.
- Numerous flowers bloom in a linear fashion on branches. Ray flowers are white and disk flowers are yellow.
- The flowering period is mid-to-late summer.
- Flowers brown with age.
- All photos by the author. Click an image for a lightbox view.
- Achenes form after flowering each with a whitish pappus.
- The two asters are similar, but we see more of the S. ericoides in our area in the sagebrush grasslands and can be identified by the volumes of flowers on branching stems. This is a favorite flowering plant that often is still blooming near the first fall frosts.
- White prairie asters are pollinated by bees, flies, moths, and butterflies.
- Another common name is heath aster.
- These asters can be propogated from seed, from cuttings, or from divisions.