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NC Native Plant Society:
Plant Details

Symphyotrichum cordifolium [= Aster cordifolius]

Blue Wood Aster, Heart-leaved Aster, Broad-leaf Aster

Scientific Name:

Symphyotrichum cordifolium [= Aster cordifolius]

Genus:

Symphyotrichum

Species Epithet:

cordifolium

Common Name:

Blue Wood Aster, Heart-leaved Aster, Broad-leaf Aster

Plant Type

Herb/Wildflower

Life Cycle

Perennial

Plant Family

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

Native/Alien:

NC Native

Size:

0-1 ft., 1-3 ft., 3-6 ft.

Bloom Color(s):

Blue, Purple

Light:

Part Shade - 2 to 6 hours of sun per day, Less than 2 hours of sun per day

Soil Moisture:

Moist

Bloom Time:

September, October

Growing Area:

Mountains, Piedmont, Sandhills, Coastal Plain

Habitat Description:

Rich forests, shaded roadbanks. Common in NC Mountains, uncommon in Piedmont, rare in Coastal Plain.

Leaf Arrangement:

Alternate

Leaf Retention:

Deciduous

Leaf Type:

Leaves veined, not needle-like or scale-like

Leaf Form:

Simple

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Wildlife Value:

Has some wildlife value

Landscape Value:

Recommended and Available

State Rank:

S4: Apparently secure (*Key)

Global Rank:

G5 - Secure (*Key)

State Status:

W6: Watch List: Regionally Rare (*Key)

Notes:

can become weedy in urban environmens

Blooms

image

Martha Baskin
Topton, NC

Plant

image

Martha Baskin
Topton, NC

Leaf

image

Martha Baskin
Topton, NC

Blue Wood Aster is a stout, leafy plant that typically grows on smooth, branched, upright-arching stems to 1-3’ tall.

Blue Ridge Parkway, Watauga Co., NC

The Scientific Name is Symphyotrichum cordifolium [= Aster cordifolius]. You will likely hear them called Blue Wood Aster, Heart-leaved Aster, Broad-leaf Aster. This picture shows the Blue Wood Aster is a stout, leafy plant that typically grows on smooth, branched, upright-arching stems to 1-3’ tall. of Symphyotrichum cordifolium [= Aster cordifolius]

Annkatrin Rose

Blue Wood Aster has large leaves with sharply serrated leaf margins. The lower leaves have cordate (heart-shaped) leaf bases. The upper leaves are smaller and more ovate.

Blue Ridge Parkway, Burke Co., NC

The Scientific Name is Symphyotrichum cordifolium [= Aster cordifolius]. You will likely hear them called Blue Wood Aster, Heart-leaved Aster, Broad-leaf Aster. This picture shows the Blue Wood Aster has large leaves with sharply serrated leaf margins. The lower leaves have cordate (heart-shaped) leaf bases. The upper leaves are smaller and more ovate. of Symphyotrichum cordifolium [= Aster cordifolius]

Annkatrin Rose

Leaves have long petioles.

Blue Ridge Parkway, Burke Co., NC

The Scientific Name is Symphyotrichum cordifolium [= Aster cordifolius]. You will likely hear them called Blue Wood Aster, Heart-leaved Aster, Broad-leaf Aster. This picture shows the Leaves have long petioles. of Symphyotrichum cordifolium [= Aster cordifolius]

Annkatrin Rose

The panicle of flowerheads is longer than it is wide and it is more broad toward the bottom than the apex. The ray florets are lavender, light blue-violet. The disc florets are short-tubular in shape, are initially cream-colored or pale yellow, but they later become pale purple to reddish purple with age.

Blue Ridge Parkway, Burke Co., NC

The Scientific Name is Symphyotrichum cordifolium [= Aster cordifolius]. You will likely hear them called Blue Wood Aster, Heart-leaved Aster, Broad-leaf Aster. This picture shows the The panicle of flowerheads is longer than it is wide and it is more broad toward the bottom than the apex. The ray florets are lavender, light blue-violet. The disc florets are short-tubular in shape, are initially cream-colored or pale yellow, but they later become pale purple to reddish purple with age. of Symphyotrichum cordifolium [= Aster cordifolius]

Annkatrin Rose

The base of each flowerhead is surrounded by overlapping phyllaries (slender floral bracts). These scaly bracts are light green, except for diamond-shaped patches of dark green toward their tips.

Blue Ridge Parkway, Burke Co., NC

The Scientific Name is Symphyotrichum cordifolium [= Aster cordifolius]. You will likely hear them called Blue Wood Aster, Heart-leaved Aster, Broad-leaf Aster. This picture shows the The base of each flowerhead is surrounded by overlapping phyllaries (slender floral bracts). These scaly bracts are light green, except for diamond-shaped patches of dark green toward their tips. of Symphyotrichum cordifolium [= Aster cordifolius]

Annkatrin Rose

Leaf shape variation.

Blue Ridge Parkway, Watauga Co., NC

The Scientific Name is Symphyotrichum cordifolium [= Aster cordifolius]. You will likely hear them called Blue Wood Aster, Heart-leaved Aster, Broad-leaf Aster. This picture shows the Leaf shape variation. of Symphyotrichum cordifolium [= Aster cordifolius]

Annkatrin Rose

Leaf further up the stem.

Blue Ridge Parkway, Watauga Co., NC

The Scientific Name is Symphyotrichum cordifolium [= Aster cordifolius]. You will likely hear them called Blue Wood Aster, Heart-leaved Aster, Broad-leaf Aster. This picture shows the Leaf further up the stem. of Symphyotrichum cordifolium [= Aster cordifolius]

Annkatrin Rose

Leaf within the inflorescence.

Blue Ridge Parkway, Watauga Co., NC

The Scientific Name is Symphyotrichum cordifolium [= Aster cordifolius]. You will likely hear them called Blue Wood Aster, Heart-leaved Aster, Broad-leaf Aster. This picture shows the Leaf within the inflorescence. of Symphyotrichum cordifolium [= Aster cordifolius]

Annkatrin Rose

Links:

USDA PLANTS Database Record

Flora of North America
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
 



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