If you asked me, I would say every gardener should make room for Asters. They are a sturdy native perennial group that blooms well into the fall, supporting pollinators when most other blooms are finished.
They aren’t mini-daisies. They aren’t Mums, although some hybrid Asters are sold with Mums at the groceries and hardware stores this time of year. Most of their blooms look like tiny daisies, and most Asters are white or pale blue, although there is a regional native yellow, the Maryland Golden Aster.
My garden in Saint Paul was shady, so I had White Wood Aster and Blue Wood Aster (Blue Wood Aster is for sun to light shade) and planted them here as well. But if you have a sunny spot, try Aromatic Aster. It features a bolder blue color, grows 1-3’ tall on sturdy stems, and in trials it was less susceptible to powdery mildew and rust than the popular New England Aster. (The trials included some conducted by Mt. Cuba.) This just means that New England Aster should get plenty of space to avoid powdery mildew.
I found a fantastic article from Piedmont Master Gardeners that also mentions a report that the native species attracted significantly more pollinators than cultivars such as “Purple Dome.” Also, I learned that the all American natives were found to be significantly different from European or Asian Asters, so they will keep their popular names but are no longer, technically, Asters.
What are they called now, technically? Don’t ask.
Author: Natasha Poppe
