This tall aster produces hundreds of large violet purple to deep purple flowers with yellow centers in Sept. and Oct. The flowers are a favorite nectar source for migrating monarch butterflies. Praying mantis like to catch butterflies on them! Grows well in poorly drained clay soil.
Native Plant Database
Header Photo: Mervin Wallace
New England Aster
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
Plant Type: Herbaceous Perennials
Native Environment: Prairie, Wetland
Season of Interest: Late (July - frost)
Main Color: Purple
Fall Color:
USDA PLANTS Range Map
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Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Medium Sun/Average Shade
Soil
Moisture
Moderate, High
Nature Attracting
Butterfly
Wildlife Benefit
Butterfly / Moth Nectar, Food/Birds
Animal
Resistance
Rabbit Resistant
Size
Height:
30 to
60
inches
Spread:
24 to
48
inches
Size
Height: 30 to
60
inches
Spread: 24 to
48
inches
Size
Height: 30 to
60
inches
Spread: 24 to
48
inches
Typical Landscape Use
Use in the back of the garden for late season color and to attract butterflies. Grows well in native plant gardens or in damp prairies.
Establishment and Care Instructions
They grow best in fertile soil with constant moisture. Pinch garden plants back three or four times before Aug. 15th to keep them more compact.
Special Features
Special Usage
Salt Tolerant
Basic Description
Where Should I Start?
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What’s the Next Step?
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Where Can I Find This Plant in Nature?
Learn about the Native Environment(s) inhabited by the plants in this database.