Symphyotrichum cordifolium

Common Names

Heart-leaved Aster, Common Blue Wood Aster

Summary

Heart-leaved Aster, also called Blue Wood Aster, is a native perennial in the Asteraceae that grows 1–4 feet tall from rhizomes to form colonies. It features heart-shaped basal leaves, narrow upper leaves, and heads with 8–15 pale blue to blue-violet ray florets surrounding 12–20 yellow disk florets, blooming August to October. It inhabits forests, woodlands, stream banks, and forest edges, tolerates partial shade to full sun, and prefers moist, well-drained soils; it can spread by rhizomes and self-seed prolifically, making a dense stand possible. Pinching earlier in the season promotes a bushier habit, and cutting after flowering helps reduce self-seeding.

Across eastern and central North America, the range extends from Nova Scotia to Ontario and south to Georgia and Oklahoma, with introductions in Great Britain and Norway; globally it is ranked G5 (secure). Ecologically valuable for pollinators, it provides nectar and pollen for bees and butterflies and serves as a host for caterpillars; seeds feed songbirds. In cultivation, it tolerates a range of soils and light conditions, naturalizes readily, and is used in native, woodland, and pollinator plantings; cultivars such as ‘Chieftain’, ‘Avondale’, and ‘Aldebaran’ offer more compact to upright forms.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

12-48 inches

Spread

18-24 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 3-8

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally Full Sun to Partial Shade.

Soil Type

Moist, well-drained, rich loamy soil, pH 6.0–7.5.

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soils.

Soil pH

6.0-7.5

Neutral to slightly acidic

Bloom Color

Blue

Bloom Time

Fall

Foliage Color

Green

Fall Foliage Color

Tan

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Medium

Seasons of Interest

Summer and Fall

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Division, Cuttings

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, butterflies, other pollinators, and birds