Description

Key Information:

Soil: Mesic (Medium) – Xeric (Dry). Drought tolerant.
Sun: Full Sun – Part Sun
Height: 3-5 feet
Bloom Color: Blue – Lavender
Bloom Season: August – October
*Salt tolerant*

More Details:

Suggested Uses: Native to open upland prairies, Smooth Blue Aster grows well in many soil types including dry, rocky soil, typical garden soil and heavy clay. It will grow larger in fertile soils. It is a great choice for erosion control on slopes. Smooth Blue Aster is a beautiful and showy plant. The foliage is smooth with a hint of blue and large clusters of lavender flowers bloom in late summer.   It is a fabulous source of nectar for bees and butterflies.

Native Range: Native throughout the majority of the contiguous U.S., including Minnesota.

Pollinators: Bees and butterflies. Favored by the Rusty Patched Bumble Bee (Bombus affinis). High-value nectar source for adult monarch butterflies.

Flowers: The 1″ flower heads have many blue petal-like ray flowers surrounding yellow disk flowers.

Leaves: The toothed, elliptical or lance-shaped leaves are 1-4″ long. The lower leaves have leaf stalks, the upper leaves clasp the stem. It is smooth to the touch.

More information: USDA plant profile