COMMON NAME: Heath aster
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Symphyotrichum ericoides – the name comes from the Greek word erica meaning “heath”.
FLOWER: White
BLOOMING PERIOD: Late August through September
SIZE: 2 to 3 feet high
BEHAVIOR: Bushy with densely clustered daisy like flowers. The stems are much
branched at the top. Heath aster spreads by rhizomes, forming loose colonies.
SITE REQUIREMENTS: This aster grows best on dry, sandy or gravely soils in full
sun. It has a low water requirement.
NATURAL RANGE: Maine to British Columbia, south to Georgia, Mississippi,
Oklahoma, Texas and Arizona. It is found throughout Wisconsin.
SPECIAL FEATURES: Heath asters add a delicate texture to late summer prairie
areas. The seeds are enjoyed by juncos and other winter birds. Attracts butterflies
and native bees.
SUGGESTED CARE: Water well during the first season. Use only in full sun. To
propagate divide mature plants in late fall or early spring.
COMPANION PLANTS: Big bluestem, smooth aster, coreopsis, flowering spurge,
showy sunflower, purple prairie clover, prairie cinquefoil, yellow coneflower,
rosinweed, compass plant, prairie dock, stiff goldenrod, and needle grass.