New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) in the Asters Database

General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit:	Herb/Forb
Sun Requirements:	Full Sun Full Sun to Partial Shade
Water Preferences:	Mesic
Plant Height:	36 - 60 inches
Plant Spread:	24 - 36 inches
Leaves:	Fragrant
Fruiting Time:	Fall Late fall or early winter
Flowers:	Showy
Flower Color:	Blue Pink Purple
Bloom Size:	Under 1"
Flower Time:	Late summer or early fall Fall
Underground structures:	Rhizome
Uses:	Cut Flower Will Naturalize
Wildlife Attractant:	Bees Butterflies
Propagation: Seeds:	Self fertile Stratify seeds: 3 months at 40 degrees Suitable for wintersowing Sow in situ Start indoors Can handle transplanting Other info: self seeds, rather prolifically
Propagation: Other methods:	Cuttings: Stem Division
Pollinators:	Self Beetles Moths and Butterflies Flies Bees
Containers:	Not suitable for containers
Miscellaneous:	Tolerates poor soil

Common names

New England Aster
Aster
Hardy Aster
Hairy Michaelmas Daisy

Botanical names

Accepted: Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
Synonym: Aster novae-angliae
Synonym: Virgulus novae-angliae

Photo Gallery

Location: Athol, MA
Date: 2023-09-14
#pollination

Uploaded by joannakat

Location: Athol, MA
Date: 2022-09-21
#pollination

Uploaded by joannakat

Location: Athol, MA
Date: 2017-09-13
Just now beginning to bloom (mid Sept., north-central MA)

Uploaded by joannakat

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2010-09-18
Monarch magnet in September

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2018-09-17
#pollination Looks like the bee might run into the butterfly.

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by joannakat

Location: Athol, MA
Date: 2017-09-20
#Pollination

Uploaded by joannakat

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2011-09-22

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: My garden in N E Pa.
Date: 2015-09-07

Uploaded by treehugger

Location: Athol, MA
Date: 2017-09-15
Thanks @jmorth

Uploaded by joannakat

Uploaded by joannakat

Uploaded by Prosedda

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2011-09-19

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by Char

Location: Ingleside. Illinois
Date: 2023-09-22

Uploaded by antsinmypants

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2008-09-22
#pollination (note number and kinds of butterflies)

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 9-30-11
#pollination

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2013-09-18
#pollination Painted Lady

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by joannakat

Location: central Illinois
Date: 9-25-11
#pollination

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2016-09-12
#pollination Buckeyes

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by joannakat

Location: central Illinois
Date: 9-21-13
#pollination

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania
Date: 2020-09-23
Growing Wild in Longwood's Meadow

Uploaded by csandt

Location: Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania USA
Date: 2019-09-14
Meadow Garden native plant

Uploaded by csandt

Uploaded by molanic

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2018-10-02
#pollination Bumble Bee

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2015-01-17

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: Athol, MA
Date: 2017-09-15
Sequel to yesterday's bud

Uploaded by joannakat

Location: Brownstown Pennsylvania
Date: 2017-06-23
#Pollination

Uploaded by nativeplantlover

Location: central Illinois
Date: 9-12-13
#pollination

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2011-09-30
Checkered White on N E Aster

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2011-09-19
w/ honey bee

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by joannakat

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2015-09-28

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: Near shed - full sun
Date: 2010-1030

Uploaded by pirl

Location: central Illinois
Date: fall
Bad Hair Day

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: My Gardens
Date: September 16, 2011
Close Up View

Uploaded by TBGDN

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2018-10-01
#pollination (Note tiny spider top right)

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 10-1-11
#pollination

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2016-09-12
#pollination 2 Buckeyes and a Painted Lady

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 10-1-11
#pollination Skipper BF

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2016-10-18
#pollination

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: Meadowland In Northeastern Indiana - Zone 5b
Date: 2011-09-26

Uploaded by chelle

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by csandt

Location: Near shed - full sun
Date: 2006-1019
Butterflies love this plant.

Uploaded by pirl

Location: central Illinois
Date: fall
Convergence- 3 garden aviators converge on a collision course abo

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2015-02-06
#pollination

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2018-09-14
#pollination Green Metallic Bee

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 10-4-11
#pollination Pearl Crescent BF

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: old photo from aboretum
i think it is new england aster?

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: Meadowland In Northeastern Indiana - Zone 5b
Date: 2011-09-26
Just opened bloom.

Uploaded by chelle

Location: central Illinois
Date: 9-19-11

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 10-09-2014
#pollination

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 10-1-11

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: Fairfax, VA | June, 2022
Date: 2022-06-02

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: Near shed - full sun
Date: 2011-1028

Uploaded by pirl

Location: Athol, MA
Date: 2017-05-20
Planted last fall. Now May 20th in north-central MA

Uploaded by joannakat

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2018-09-23
#pollination 4 Bumble Bees

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2016-09-25

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2016-11-11
#pollination moth

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2016-09-20
#pollination

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2011-10-22

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: Near shed - full sun
Date: 2014-10-27

Uploaded by pirl

Uploaded by pirl

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2018-09-16
#pollination Cabbage White in flight

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: Athol, MA
Date: 2017-09-20
Blooms in late September and is so beautiful.

Uploaded by joannakat

Location: back yard
Date: fall
Skipper butterfly

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by Catmint20906

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2015-04-23

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 9-27-14
Butterfly magnet

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2011-09-28
close up

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: Southern Maine
Date: 2021-10-11
It can grow 3 - 4 feet tall if not I’m shade. Bees and butterf

Uploaded by Paintedtrillium

Uploaded by gwu

Location: Manitoba, Canada
Date: 2016-08-13

Uploaded by DebbieC

Location: Near shed - full sun
Date: 2007-0430
I cut back the mound of asters so my husband could widen the pave

Uploaded by pirl

Location: Near shed - full sun
Date: 2011-1028
Cutting back the asters.

Uploaded by pirl

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2018-09-24
#pollination (heavy nectar load)

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2013-09-05

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2014-11-01

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by DianeSeeds

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2008-09-09
#pollination

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2016-09-13
#pollination Buckeye

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by SunnyBorders

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2009-09-27
3 BF present - Buckeye, Painted Lady, and a Sulphur

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: Aster Hill - near shed, full sun
Date: 2014-10-18
It's near impossible to get a photo without bees.

Uploaded by pirl

Location: central Illinois
Date: 9-22-11

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: Sangchris State Park - central Illinois
Date: 9-27-14
the purple in the pic

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: Huron County, MI
Date: 2020-09-24
wild

Uploaded by SunriseSide

Location: near Vladivostok, Primorsky Kraj, Russia
Date: 2006-10-01
New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae).

Uploaded by Nick_Kurzenko

Uploaded by Nick_Kurzenko

Location: Carson City, NV
Date: 2021-05-24

Uploaded by JeffLoflinECV

Location: Hamilton, Ontario
Date: 2023-09-20
New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)

Uploaded by 99south

Uploaded by joannakat

Uploaded by admin

Uploaded by admin

Location: Athol, MA
Date: 2018-06-03
New, tender leaves in early June, zone 5b

Uploaded by joannakat

Location: central Illinois (Sangchris State Park)
Date: 2014-09-29

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: Denver CO Metro
Date: 2010-09-22
This is actually 4 plants. Yikes. Same year as planted in the s

Uploaded by Skiekitty

Uploaded by virginiarose

Uploaded by chelle

Photo Courtesy of Prairie Nursery. Used with Permission

Uploaded by Joy

Location: Fairfax, VA | September 2022
Date: 2022-09-06

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2013-09-04

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2014-09-28

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: Apis mellifera (honey bee) on Symphyotrichum novae-angliae (New England aster)
Photo courtesy of: Tom Potterfield

Uploaded by admin

Location: near Vladivostok, Primorsky Kraj, Russia
Date: 2006-09-30
New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae).

Uploaded by Nick_Kurzenko

Uploaded by Nick_Kurzenko

Location: near Vladivostok, Primorsky Kraj, Russia
Date: 2010-10-10
New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae).

Uploaded by Nick_Kurzenko

Uploaded by Nick_Kurzenko

Location: Carson City, NV
Date: 2021-05-27

Uploaded by JeffLoflinECV

Uploaded by admin

Uploaded by admin

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2015-09-11

Uploaded by jmorth

This plant is tagged in:

Comments:

Posted by jmorth (central Illinois) on Oct 22, 2011 2:39 AM concerning plant:

Fantastic butterfly magnet in fall...I've had up to 8 Monarchs in 1 photo frame. Attracts Monarchs, Red Admirals, Painted Ladies, Skippers (various kinds including Silver Spotted, European, and Peck's), Sulphurs (Clouded, Cloudless, and Orange), Cabbage Whites and Checkered Whites, Swallowtails, Hairstreaks, Buckeyes, Question Marks and Commas, Pearl Crescents, and moths (day time ones).
That said, it should be noted, the Monarchs really take the show.

Used as a medicine by Chinese herbalists. Used as a love medicine by the Iroquois.
Flowers and leaves are edible.

Reply to this comment
Posted by Catmint20906 (PNW WA half hour south of Olympia - Zone 8a) on Aug 8, 2014 2:29 PM concerning plant:

New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) is a larval host plant for the Pearl Crescent butterfly. It is also a key nectar source for the Monarch and other butterflies, and is a Monarch Way Station plant. Its late bloom makes it an important source of nectar for butterflies and moths in the fall.

This plant also has special value to native, bumble, and honey bees, including small carpenter, leafcutter, longhorned, and green sweat bees.

New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) also attracts beneficial insects to the garden, such as bee flies, syrphid flies, and soldier beetles.

Reply to this comment
Posted by SCButtercup (Simpsonville SC - Zone 7b) on Aug 28, 2014 5:11 AM concerning plant:

I admit to being a snob about this plant, which I considered a weed, but it was given to me by someone who loved it, so I planted it in front of the deck. This is a good place for it because it grows very tall, and the flowers can be seen through the railing. Beautiful blue-purple blooms that would look great next to yellow, but I can't find anything that is blooming in fall the way this does. Maybe I'll try a mid-summer sowing of Cosmos 'Bright Lights' next to it.

Reply to this comment
Posted by vac_venice (coastal MA) on Sep 30, 2023 10:23 AM concerning plant:

I've had these asters for a few years now and can testify how well both butterflies and bees love them. They are planted in full sun along a pathway. They do need to be staked - or, at least, mine do.

Reply to this comment
Posted by Skiekitty (Denver Metro - Zone 5a) on Apr 14, 2014 12:32 PM concerning plant:

Grows like a weed. Tolerates heat & xeric conditions nicely. Grows VERY tall, about 4-4.5 feet tall. Easy to transplant. Provides some winter interest, but birds don't seem interested in the seeds.

Reply to this comment
Posted by Mindy03 (Delta KY) on Oct 20, 2011 5:23 PM concerning plant:

Valuable source of nectar and pollen for honey bees

1 reply

Plant Events from our members
jmorth	On August 16, 2014	Bloomed
lovesblooms	On March 13, 2015	Plant emerged returned from 2014 winter sown plant
lovesblooms	On January 29, 2015	Seeds sown winter sowing
Catmint20906	On September 19, 2015	Bloomed
jhugart	On May 22, 2020	Transplanted Added new plant next to existing one in East bed.
jhugart	On May 22, 2020	Obtained plant Bought one leggy plant at Mother Earth Gardens in northeast Minneapolis, MN.
jhugart	On April 7, 2020	Plant emerged Somewhere around here I noticed new growth in a picture. It is somewhat obscured by the dried out old growth from last year. I did eventually prune that away in order to make a brush pile.
jhugart	On September 16, 2017	Obtained plant Plant was an extra left-over from Noah Frese's Eagle Scout service project on this date.
dnrevel	On February 28, 2021	Seeds sown Winter sown. From MOGardener, DnD plant list
MrsBinWY	On March 27, 2021	Seeds sown sprinkle of seeds from antsinmypants' 2020G rec. Feb-21 in milk jug to patio - per Prairie Moon, need C(60) - might not have quite that much cold left
antsinmypants	On June 10, 2023	Transplanted Into Stump Garden

» Post your own event for this plant

Discussion Threads about this plant

Thread Title	Last Reply	Replies
Fabulous photo! by sandnsea2	Oct 27, 2011 11:51 PM	1
Thanks to jmorth! by joannakat	Sep 15, 2017 11:14 PM	1

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Asters New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)

Asters

New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)