Common Name: New England Aster

Scientific Name: Symphyotrichum novae-angliae

Family: Asteraceae

Habitat: Meadows, Prairies, Thickets, Along Streams and Rivers

Native: Yes

Life Cycle: Perennial

Bloom Time: Summer, Fall

Height: Up to 7 feet

Light: Full sun to partial shade

Soil: Moist, Well drained

Pollinators: Butterflies, Birds, Bees

Description: New England Aster is a native perennial wildflower that can be identified by its purple flowers with brown or yellow centers and its fuzzy stems. New England Aster, which blooms between late summer and fall, can grow up to seven feet tall and grows naturally in meadows, prairies, thickets, or along streams and rivers where there is moist soil and full sun to partly shady conditions. This photo of New England Aster was taken in the Woodland Garden at Creasey Mahan Nature Preserve.