Symphyotrichum lanceolatum (Willd.) G.L. Nesom Panicled aster, Eastern lined aster, tall white aster, lance-leaf aster, narrow-leaf michaelmas daisy, white-panicle aster
Panicled aster is a widespread North American native. Identification: Plants are 12-59″ (30-150 cm) in height, rarely up to 6½′ (2 m). They consist of a single main stem that branches in the flowering region. The stem may be hairy or hairless. Leaves are ⅜-3″ (1-8 cm) × ⅛-¾″ (5-20 mm), with serrated or scalloped edges, oblanceolate or lanceolate. Dead leaves tend to curl a lot. Flowerheads are panicles that may be heavily branched and densely or quite sparsely flowered. Flowers are white to pinkish or pale blue-violet, ⅜-¾″ (1-2 cm) across, with 16-50 rays and usually 20-40 tiny disc florets. Central disks are yellow, aging to purple. Maybe it is a coincidence, but the petals (rays) seem less orderly than with many asters. See our aster comparison table here. Or check Arieh Tel's well-researched and informative aster comparison site. Online References:
The Connecticut Botanical Society's Connecticut wildflowers site References:
Clemants, Steven; Gracie, Carol, Wildflowers in the Field and Forest, Oxford University Press, 2006, p. 22 9/27/2013 · Gordon and Kathy’s, Prospect, Maine · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 12 cm)
Symphyotrichum lanceolatum description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020. © FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved. |
That’s a monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus). · 10/4/2008 · Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, Plum Island, Massachusetts 9/27/2013 · Gordon and Kathy’s, Prospect, Maine · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 13 cm) 9/27/2013 · Gordon and Kathy’s, Prospect, Maine · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 12 cm) Range:
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