Have you seen the small white asters this fall? If you walk by them quickly, you’d think that they were all the same plant. But look carefully, and you’ll notice that there are several different white asters out there.
Here are some of the more common asters in our area:
Long-stalked aster (Symphyotrichum dumosum)- the flowers grow on long stalks away from the thicker stem.
Frost aster (Symphyotrichum pilosum)- the leaves and stems are hairy. The flowers grow on all sides of the stem.
Small white aster (Symphyotrichum racemosum)- The flowers grow on one side of the stem. It grows in wet areas.
Calico aster (Symphyotrichum lateriflorum)- These flowers have less than 15 petals, and their centers are purplish-red.
Which asters have you seen?