Landscape Ideas
Calico Aster I’ve probably saved my favorite underutilized aster for last. At about 2 to 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide, calico is doing great for me in semi-dry clay in full shade. Its flowers are small but last many weeks in early to mid-fall. The neat thing about the flowers is that they bloom on only one side of the stems. And pollinators love them. Make sure it has consistent moisture if you place it in full sun. I’d suggest massing this delicate-looking plant.
Swamp Aster - native At 3 to 6 feet tall, and a lover of moist or even boggy conditions in full sun, this is the perfect aster for a large rain garden or at a pond’s edge. It even prefers sticky clay soil. Swamp aster will bloom for several weeks between August and October. A few species of native mining bees collect pollen for their young on only this aster.
Blue Wood Aster - native This beauty’s small blue flowers turn white as they fade over at least a month from September to October. Blue wood loves partial sun to partial shade; more sun means wetter soil. At about 2 to 3 feet tall, blue wood, or heart-leaved, aster is generally adaptable from a slightly wet to slight dry soil.
Silky Aster - native Silky aster is distinct-looking, with 1-inch-wide blooms and leaves covered in fine hairs that give it a soft feel and silvery appearance. It stands about 12 to 18 inches tall and wide and prefers full sun and well-drained soil; rocky or sandy soil is perfect. Since many asters have large geographic ranges, it’s hard to say when they will bloom for you. Silky will sport flowers in September toward the north and October in the South. Try to find plants with genetic origins in your area; otherwise the bloom period might be off for native insects whose annual feeding is timed to the plants.
Butterfly blue pincushion
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