Symphyotrichum lanceolatum
Rhizomatous North American native perennial in the Asteraceae forming large clonal colonies in moist, open habitats, bearing tall panicles of white ray florets with yellow disk florets that mature to purple and bloom from midsummer to autumn.
Common Names
Panicled Aster, White Panicle Aster, Lance-leaved Aster, Eastern Line Aster, Tall White Aster, Michaelmas Daisy, Narrow-leaf Michaelmas Daisy
Summary
Symphyotrichum lanceolatum is a native North American perennial in the Asteraceae, commonly called Panicled Aster or White Panicle Aster. It grows 30–150 cm tall, forms clonal colonies via long rhizomes, and bears panicles of white ray florets (16–50) surrounding yellow disk florets that age to purple. It inhabits moist habitats such as wet prairies, floodplains, riverbanks, wetlands, and roadside ditches, and tolerates full sun to partial shade with soils ranging from sandy to clay; it is attractive to bees, butterflies, wasps, flies, and moths. It spreads by wind-dispersed seeds and by rhizomes, enabling colony formation.
It has a broad North American distribution across the United States and Canada, and has been documented in numerous states and provinces; in Europe, it can be introduced and can become invasive in non-native contexts. Taxonomically, two subspecies (hesperium and lanceolatum) and several varieties are recognized in North America. For cultivation and restoration, this species tolerates full sun to moist to wet soils, can be propagated by seed or division, and is well suited for native plantings, prairie restorations, and pollinator gardens that benefit from late-summer to fall nectar.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
1-6 feet
Spread
1.5-3 feet
Hardiness Zones
Zones 3-9
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally Full Sun; tolerates Partial Sun and Partial Shade.
Soil Type
Moist to wet, well-drained soil, sandy, loamy, or clay soils
Soil Drainage
Well-drained soil (moist but not waterlogged).
Soil pH
Slightly acidic to neutral pH.
Bloom Color
White
Bloom Time
Fall
Foliage Color
Green; upper surface medium to medium-dark green with a paler lower surface, foliage may turn purple in autumn.
Fall Foliage Color
Purple
Leaf Lifecycle
Deciduous
Growth Rate
Rapid
Seasons of Interest
Summer and Fall
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Division (via rhizomes)
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts bees, butterflies, and other pollinators
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- (Willd.) G.L.Nesom
- Publication
- Phytologia 77(3): 284 (1995)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Asterales
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Subfamily
- Asteroideae
- Tribe
- Astereae
- Subtribe
- Symphyotrichinae
- Genus
- Symphyotrichum
Inferior Taxa
Symphyotrichum lanceolatum var. lanceolatum Symphyotrichum lanceolatum var. interior Symphyotrichum lanceolatum var. hirsuticaule Symphyotrichum lanceolatum subsp. lanceolatum Symphyotrichum lanceolatum var. latifolium Symphyotrichum lanceolatum var. hesperium
Synonyms
Symphyotrichum hesperium Aster paniculatus var. cinerascens Aster strictus var. strictus Aster hesperius f. hesperius Aster durus Aster lanceolatus var. simplex Aster angustus Aster hesperius var. hesperius Aster paniculatus var. lanatus Aster bellidiflorus var. rigidulus Aster lanceolatus subsp. simplex Aster lanceolatus subsp. lanceolatus Aster laetevirens Aster lanceolatus var. monocephalus Aster bellidiflorus var. rubricaulis Aster bellidiflorus var. angustus Aster lautus var. lautus Aster foliaceus var. hesperius Aster lautus var. prionoides Aster hesperius var. laetevirens Aster hesperius var. wootonii Aster strictus Aster abbreviatus Aster hesperius Aster lanceolatus Aster fluvialis Aster simplex Aster cornuti Aster coerulescens var. laetevirens Aster dracunculoides Aster lautus Aster interior Aster paniculatus var. acutidens Aster lanceolatus subsp. hesperius Aster osterhoutii Aster pallens Aster praecox Aster carneus Aster rigidulus