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New England Aster

from $5.00

(Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)

A keystone native plant. 

Late summer and early fall is magical here at The Wild Patch thanks to our non-stop New England Aster blooms. It’s a pollinator magnet that produces a riot of daisy-like, purple flowers with yellow centers that keep coming for weeks. New England Aster matures to 5' tall, thrives in full sun or light shade in all but the driest soils. Bees and butterflies can’t get enough of it and it provides an excellent source of nectar for Monarchs and other butterflies late into the fall.  New England Aster is also noteworthy as larval host plant for Pearl Crescent and Checkerspot butterflies. Perhaps the biggest reason we love it, is that New England Aster is a keystone native plant. This means it plays a critical role in the local ecosystem and is essential for the survival of many wildlife species. As far as deer go, New England Aster is not a favorite, but sometimes gets browsed. Our deer, at The Wild Patch, tend to pass it by, preferring some of our other flowers, but your deer may have different taste buds. 

(Note: Now accepting orders for Fall — shipping begins Sept 1 . For local customers, plants available now-Sept 30 for local pick-up. Seeds ship year-round.)

Size:

(Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)

A keystone native plant. 

Late summer and early fall is magical here at The Wild Patch thanks to our non-stop New England Aster blooms. It’s a pollinator magnet that produces a riot of daisy-like, purple flowers with yellow centers that keep coming for weeks. New England Aster matures to 5' tall, thrives in full sun or light shade in all but the driest soils. Bees and butterflies can’t get enough of it and it provides an excellent source of nectar for Monarchs and other butterflies late into the fall.  New England Aster is also noteworthy as larval host plant for Pearl Crescent and Checkerspot butterflies. Perhaps the biggest reason we love it, is that New England Aster is a keystone native plant. This means it plays a critical role in the local ecosystem and is essential for the survival of many wildlife species. As far as deer go, New England Aster is not a favorite, but sometimes gets browsed. Our deer, at The Wild Patch, tend to pass it by, preferring some of our other flowers, but your deer may have different taste buds. 

(Note: Now accepting orders for Fall — shipping begins Sept 1 . For local customers, plants available now-Sept 30 for local pick-up. Seeds ship year-round.)

PLANT FACTS:

Seed per packet: 100
Lifecycle: Perennial
Germination code: C(30)
Needs cold stratification: Yes
Bloom time: June, July, August
Bloom color: Pink
Light: Full sun - partial sun
Soil moisture:  Wet, medium-wet, medium
Height: 4’
Plant Spacing: 18-36"
USDA zones: 3-9
Toxic to humans & animals (do not ingest)

WILDLIFE BENEFITED

• Caterpillars, pollinators, butterflies, birds
• Host plant for Pearl Crescent and Checkerspot butterfly caterpillars
• Special value to bumble bees and honey bees
• Important nectar source for migrating Monarchs

PAIRS WELL WITH:

The tall height of New England Aster calls for other native plants that can reach the same stature. Some good native plant companions include: Brown-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia triloba), Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) and Showy Goldenrod (Solidago speciosa). 

GOOD TO KNOW…

  • New England Aster is one of the easier natives to grow from seed, with consistently strong germination success.

    Germination code: C(60)
    Days to germination: 21-45 days
    Days to maturity: 60-90 days

    Indoors: To start seeds inside, mix the seeds into ½ cup of moist sand (or paper towel) and place in a sealed plastic bag and place in the refrigerator for 60 days before planting. Then start seeds in tray cells at least 3+" deep. Keep moist. Transplant outside May-July 3' apart. 

    Outdoors: Sow seeds outside in late summer, fall or winter (before Feb 15) so they are naturally exposed to the cold. Prepare area by loosening soil surface with a rake. Hand broadcast (sow) seeds evenly over area. Water seeds with a light sprinkle after sowing. Or sow seeds onto the snow. Alternately, cold stratify seeds in refrigerator and sow directly into soil in spring. Seeds require an exposure to cold (cold stratification) before they will germinate. 

    Note: The Wild Patch is not responsible for buyer germination success. Liability of seller is limited to the cost of the item(s).

  • Many native plant seeds won’t sprout right away — they need certain conditions, like cold, warmth, or moisture, to break dormancy (their “sleeping” state). Germination codes are short labels (like A, B, C, etc.) that tell you what a seed needs to wake up and grow. For New England Aster, a germination code "C 60" means that the seeds require a period of cold, moist stratification for at least 60 days to break dormancy. 

  • It sounds harder than it is. There are two easy ways to cold stratify your seeds: 

    Method 1: Direct sow the seeds outdoors in late fall or early winter. The natural cycles of freezing and thawing will provide the necessary cold, moist stratification the seeds need and the seeds will germinate the following spring.

    Method 2: This method mimics a natural cold cycle. Just place the seeds in a plastic ziplock bag in between a damp coffee filter or with a small amount of moistened peat moss or sand. Store the bag in the refrigerator for 30+ days. Then remove and sow the seeds.