Symphyotrichum concolor

Common Names

Eastern Silvery Aster, Eastern Silver Aster

Summary

Eastern silvery aster, Symphyotrichum concolor, is a long‑lived perennial native to the eastern United States, typically 2–3 feet tall with an erect to ascending habit, it bears densely hairy, silvery leaves and wand‑like stems with heads arranged in a narrow panicle or cylindrical raceme up to about 8 inches long, each head is about 1 inch wide and contains 8–18 blue to violet ray florets surrounding a center disk of many yellow tubular florets, with hairy green‑tipped bracts and a tiny white‑tufted achene as fruit, Fall blooms produce lavender‑blue flowers that serve as a nectar source for butterflies and other pollinators, and the plant occurs in dry sandy habitats such as longleaf pine sandhills and pine flatwoods, In cultivation it prefers full sun to partial shade and dry to well‑drained sandy or loamy soils with adaptable pH, tolerating drought and low nutrients, it propagates by seed and is suitable for native meadows, woodlands, pollinator gardens, borders, and mass plantings, with spacing of 12 inches to 3 feet recommended, It is not tolerant of inundation by salty water and occurs in USDA zones 8–10, deer may browse in some states, it provides nectar for butterflies and other pollinators, and it has been honored as the North Carolina Wildflower of the Year in 1996

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

2-3 feet

Spread

1-3 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 8a-11b

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun to partial shade.

Soil Type

Well-drained sandy or loamy soil

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil.

Soil pH

Tolerates all pH levels

Bloom Color

Purple to lavender

Bloom Time

Fall

Foliage Color

Silvery

Fall Foliage Color

Gray/Silver Green

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Medium

Seasons of Interest

Fall

Propagation Methods

Seeds

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, butterflies, other pollinators