Heath Aster
| Plant Profile | |
|---|---|
| FYUSE 3D Image |
Common Name: Heath Aster Other Names: White Aster, White Prairie Aster Species Name: Symphyotrichum ericoides Plant Type: Forb Family Name: Asteraceae, Sunflower Family |
Examples of Heath AsterSymphyotrichum ericoides
| Plant Facts | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Native |
| Duration | Perennial |
| Distribution in the U.S. | Across the U.S., except extreme southeast |
| Distribution in Oklahoma | Throughout; greatest populations in the western two-thirds |
ID Characteristics
- Field Identification Characteristics
Vegetative
- Small narrow leaves attached directly to branches
- Many large branches above, no branching below
- Main stem void of leaves
Floral
- Flowers white, blue, or violet with yellow center
- Leaf and Stem Characteristics
- Leaf Type: Simple
- Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
- Leaf Shape: Linear to oblong
- Stipules: Absent
- Floral Characteristics
- Petal Number: 8-20
- Flower Color: White (rarely blue or purple) with yellow centers
- Flower Timing: August-November
- Fruit Type: Achene
| Habitat/Ecology | |
|---|---|
| Soil Type | Various dry soils |
| Habitat | Upland prairie, old fields, waste areas and edges of open woods |
| Successional Stage | Early; can be found in later stages |
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