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Symphyotrichum racemosum

small white aster

Asteraceae Eastern and central North America

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies

Native to North America

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterMedium

HardinessZones 3–8

Overview

Symphyotrichum racemosum is a herbaceous perennial in the aster family (Asteraceae), spreading by rhizomes to form colonies of arching stems 1-3 feet (30-90 cm) tall. The narrow, lance-shaped leaves are 1-4 inches (2.5-10 cm) long and reduce in size up the stem and along the flowering branches. In late summer and fall, the upper stems arch outward and carry rows of many small flower heads, each 0.3-0.5 inch (8-13 mm) across, with white ray florets around a yellow center that ages to reddish-brown. A single plant can open hundreds of heads in a season. S. racemosum grows in moist to seasonally wet open ground, including meadows, ditches, streambanks, old fields, and woodland edges across eastern and central North America. The flowers draw late-season bees, flower flies, and butterflies seeking nectar before frost. Its creeping rhizomes let it spread into broad patches, which can crowd smaller plants, and the slender stems may lean or flop in rich soil or shade.

Native Range

Native to eastern and central North America, from Quebec and Ontario south to Georgia and Texas. It grows in moist to seasonally wet meadows, ditches, streambanks, low fields, and the edges of woods and clearings.

Suggested Uses

Grown in native, meadow, pollinator, and rain gardens and in moist borders and naturalized plantings, where its late flowers feed insects before winter. It suits damp ditches, streambanks, and the edges of ponds. Its spreading habit fits informal and restoration plantings rather than small, tidy beds.

How to Identify

Recognized by its arching upper stems lined with many small white-rayed flower heads about 0.3-0.5 inch (8-13 mm) wide, each with a yellow center turning reddish. The narrow lance-shaped leaves shrink toward the flowering branches. It spreads by creeping rhizomes into colonies rather than growing as a single clump. Its small heads and one-sided, arching flowering branches separate it from larger-flowered white asters.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1' - 3'

Width/Spread1' - 2'

Colors

Flower Colors

white

Foliage Colors

green

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~10 weeks

Summer Fall

Flowers from late summer into fall, mainly August through October, with heads opening in sequence along the arching branches over many weeks. Bloom continues until hard frost. The reddening centers of older heads mix with the white of fresh ones late in the season.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

white with yellow center

Foliage Description

green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam sand clay

Drainageaverage

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

1-2 years

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Symphyotrichum racemosum grows in full sun to part sun on moist, average to fertile soils with a pH near 5.5 to 7.5, including loam, sand, and clay. It tolerates seasonally wet ground and short drought once established and needs little care. Rich soil and shade make the stems lean and flop, while full sun and leaner soil keep them more upright. It is hardy in roughly USDA zones 3 to 8 and dies back to the ground each winter. The rhizomes spread steadily, so it can expand well beyond its first planting. Division in spring controls its size and renews vigor.

Pruning

Cutting the stems back by about half in early summer produces shorter, bushier plants with less flopping. Spent stems are cut to the ground in late fall or winter. Lifting and dividing the rhizomes in spring limits the spread of the colony.