Heath Aster
Classification
Kingdom – Plantae
Division – Magnoliophyta
Class – Magnoliopsida
Order – Asterales
Family – Asteraceae (aster family)
Genus – Symphyotrichum ericoides (L.) Nesom
Etymology
Aster from the Greek “star”, describing the starlike heads of the flowers.
ericoides from the Greek “heath”
Leaves
Leaves are numerous, tiny, rigid, heathlike.
Leaves are linear, less than ¼ inch long.
Inflorescence
Many flower heads are mostly on one side of curving widely-spaced branches.
Flower
15 to 30 small white “petals” are the “ray flowers”
Flower head is ¼ inch wide.
Flowers are usually white, but may have a pinkish tint.
Flowers from August through October.
This is one of the last plants to remain in flower during autumn.
Fruit
Dry seed with lines of hairs.
Roots
Roots go down 3 to 8 feet.
Creeping rhizomes form colonies.
Habitat
Requires full sun.
Occurs in upland prairies, pastures, old fields, and roadsides.
Did you know...
Heath aster is also known as farewell-to-summer and goodbye-meadow, first because it ushers in the fall and second because it tends to take over a field.
Sources:
http://wisplants.uwsp.edu/scripts/detail.asp?SpCode=ASTERI
http://www.plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=SYER |
