New England Aster     Aster novae-angliae


Description: New England Aster is our most showy warm-season perennial which reaches a height of one meter or more. It belongs to the Compositae, or aster family.  

 

Leaf: All the leaves are heart-shape at the base and clasp the stem. They are rough to the touch and have no teeth along the margins. They have a pleasant odor when crushed.

 

Flower: Each head, which is up to 2.5cm across, has a yellow disk surrounded by up to 100 narrow, bright purple rays. There are several heads in a terminal cluster.

 

Blooming months: August-September

 

 

 

 

 

9-15

10-13

10-13

 

Discussion: Because of its gorgeous colors, these plants are a favorite of gardeners. Some Indian tribes believed that smoke from burning plants could revive a fainted person. A concoction of tea was also believed to relieve headaches.

 

Distribution:  This species occurs in woods and prairies. New England Aster ranges from New England to North Dakota, south to New Mexico and Alabama.

 

Native or Introduced to Illinois: Native

 

Location: N41048.677’ W089040.972’

 

Copyright: © 2004 Nancy Trainor, Challand Middle School, Sterling, Illinois

                                ntrainor@sterlingschools.org

References:

Keller, Carolyn. Prairie Plants of Whiteside County, Whiteside IL County Natural Area Guardians, 1991.

Ladd, Doug. Tallgrass Prairie Wildflowers, The Nature Conservancy, 1995.

Peterson, Roger Tory. Wildflowers Northeastern/North Central North America, Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 1968.

Mohlenbroch, Robert H., and John W. Voigt. Prairie Plants of Illinois, Department of Conservation.

http://plants.usda.gov/

 

Return to Challand Middle School Prairie Project home page

Return to Mrs. Trainor’s 7-1 Life Science home page