Heartleaf Aster
Family: Asteraceae (Aster
Family)
·
Hardiness Zones: 3-8
·
Height: 2-5 feet
·
Spread: 18-24 inches
·
Bloom Time: August to October
·
Bloom: upright arching stems bearing dense, branched clusters
of small (to 3/4 inch) blue daisy-like asters with yellow center disks which
redden with age; flowers mature to seed heads with tufts of hairs to catch the
wind
·
Light: full sun to part shade
·
Soil: average, well-drained
·
Moisture: dry to medium
·
Use: native plant gardens, prairie and
cottage gardens, butterfly gardens;
valuable late-season pollen source for migrating and overwintering
pollinators; host plant for the Pearly Crescent butterfly; seeds feed songbirds;
roots and flowers used medicinally by Native Americans
·
Care: easy maintenance; provide good
air circulation; pinch back stems several times before mid-July to encourage
bushiness and eliminate the need for staking; deadhead flowers if self-seeding
is not desired
·
Concerns: no serious insect or disease
problems; some susceptibility to powdery mildew, leaf spots, and rust; aster
wilt can occur if grown in poorly-drained, wet soils; stems tend to bend over
in dense shade
·
Native to: eastern and central North
America; a Wisconsin native
·
Notes: vigorous-growing; basal cluster of sharply-toothed heart-shaped
leaves; smooth, upright arching stems terminate in small-leaved flower
panicles; moderate deer resistance
·
Supplier: donated by Janis Noonan
·
Teaching Garden
Location & Code: Pollinator Garden C187
Content
produced through:
Dane County
UWEX Master Gardener Volunteer Program
Questions?
Dane County UWEX Horticulture
Program
