Walter's Aster Symphyotrichum walteri
- Phonetic Spelling
- sim-fy-oh-TRY-kum WAL-ter-eye
- Description
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Walter's aster is a herbaceous perennial in the Asteraceae family that is native to North Carolina south to Florida in sandhills and pine flatwoods. This species occurs in well-drained sandy soils, often as a component of longleaf pine savanna understory
This plant grows from 8 inches to 3.4 feet tall and has an erect to sprawling habit. It tolerates a range of moisture conditions from dry/xeric to moist and prefers full sun to partial shade.
The minute triangular leaves, which are often downcurved and fleshy to the touch, make this species unmistakable among the often-confusing asters. The flowers emerge in late autumn and feature yellow florets surrounded by a whorl of lavender rays. They are pollinated by a variety of insects.
Use Walter's aster in native gardens and pollinator gardens in the Coastal Plain. This adaptable plant is easy to maintain once established and provides color at a time when few other herbaceous plants are flowering.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Symphyotrichum
- Species:
- walteri
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- SE USA
- Distribution:
- FL, GA, NC, SC
- Wildlife Value:
- Provides nectar to bees, butterflies, and other pollinators in late fall and early winter, when other flowers may be scarce. Seeds eaten by birds.
- Edibility:
- Not edible
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Ground Cover
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Prostrate
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- Less than 12 inches
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Cream/Tan
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Winter
- Fruit Type:
- Achene
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- 2-2.5mm, tan to brown, obovoid, sparsely to moderately strigose, not compressed.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Head
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Flower Shape:
- Radial
- Flower Petals:
- Bracts
- more than 20 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Inflorescence composite, with 11-26 blue-lavender ray florets surrounding yellow disk florets in the center. The base of the flower head is cuplike with many green sepal-like bracts.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Fleshy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Deltoid
- Linear
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves unmistakable; tiny, sessile, linear to hastate, and abruptly reflexed or folded downwards. Leaf arrangement is alternate, often somewhat spiraled. Leaves fleshy to the touch, scabrous at margins.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Blue
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Stems rough, green to red-brown, erect or sprawling, branched from middle, glabrous or sparsely fine strigose.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Container
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Small groups
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Heat
