Native Plant of the Month / September: Summer Blues

September’s Native of the Month at Wellfield is one of the most underrated flowers in the surrounding area: Blue Wood Aster, also known as Symphyotrichum cordifolium. It is native to states as far southwest as Texas and as far northeast as Maine. It is uncommon in some areas, but Elkhart County is not one of them! It may be overlooked as an ornamental due to its weedy nature or because it can look quite unkempt in its unmanaged state, but I think this plant has a lot to offer the average garden space and can provide more than just the presence of another native plant.

This brilliant little aster has blue flowers that develop in late summer and last into early fall. When it comes time to bloom, the plant is engulfed in small blue flowers and is a good reminder that fall is just around the corner. The flowers attract butterflies, bees, and flies most often, and it usually stands about three feet tall if no extra care is given to it. It is a member of one of the largest families of plants, the Asteraceae (the daisy/aster family). The only other flower I often see around that has this color of blue is a fellow Asteraceae member, chicory. Unfortunately, its cousin is very invasive in our area. It can easily be found along roadsides throughout the summer. Although I have to admit, I love seeing the color everywhere. 

The aster’s growth habit is slightly bushy but can become lanky if growing in shade and left to its own devices. If you find a chance to visit Wellfield, you can find some good examples of them in their native habitat in our Woodland Conservation Garden. Occasionally you will find some escapees in our turf and surrounding gardens. Although it is a native plant, there are also cultivars developed specifically to be a garden plant. We do not currently have any planted in our garden beds, but there are good examples of how it can be treated in some of our gardens. There are other weedy asters around the gardens that are maintained in the same way. Our Elk Garden has a similar species that can provide a good example of what can be attained with a small amount of work every couple of weeks. From May to early July, we pinch the tips of the plant to encourage lateral shoots to develop. This process will slightly delay flowering and create a shorter, bushier plant. It will also encourage more flowering since it now has many more stems to flower from. We use this procedure on our garden phlox and chrysanthemums for the same reasons.

I hope you consider the Blue Wood Aster if you ever find yourself looking to add another native  perennial to your garden; the blue color provided adds to a garden and can be difficult to find outside cultivated plants. Even the regular Blue Wood Aster species that can be found in a ditch will have this uncommon color. Just grabbing a few seeds and throwing them in your soil will likely result in its cultivation-they are definitely called a weed for a reason! The maintenance is miniscule for the impact it can deliver. It is also great if you are not consistent in taking good care of garden plants because they tend to thrive on neglect. If you have a lazy gardening year, it will be there waiting for a few touch ups the following year.

Cody Hoff

Horticulture Operations Manager