This year, when you buy chrysanthemums for fall decoration, why not add some Asters?
This is what Plant NoVa Natives has to say about them:
They are perennials, (meaning the come back every year),
that grow to about 3 to 6 feet. For a more compact plant, cut back by half to 2/3 in early June.
They flower in the fall.
Deer : Usually resistant to deer browse
Wildlife : Birds. Bees. Adult and larval butterflies or moths.
Moisture: Moist
Sun Needs: Full or Part SunWildlife Comments:Symphyotricum species benefit Ruffed Grouse, Wild Turkey, Tree Sparrow, Cottontail, Cardinals, Goldfinches, Chickadees, Titmouse, Towhees, Indigo Buntin, and 109 species of Lepidoptera including the Pearl Crescent and Silvery Checkerspot butterflies.Design Function:Pollinator Garden.Gardening Tips:Bloom Time: September – October. 3 – 6 ft. Superior asters for gardens. Pollinators prefer the straight species over cultivars. Salt tolerant. For a more compact plant, cut back by half to 2/3 in early June. Doing this to the outer branches can disguise the bare legs.
Photo Credit: Margaret Fisher
Holy Comforter Creation Care 