Intro: Erect or spreading-ascending, rhizomatous perennial found in dry forests, woodlands, glades and on road banks.

Stems: Stems 1-several, with 8-25 nodes below the inflorescence, stiff, usually densely hairy.

Leaves: Leaves alternate, the lower ones on clasping winged petioles with a basal flare (upper leaves clasping without a petiole), oval to lance-oval (lower leaves with heart-shaped base), 1 1/2-6 in. long, entire or toothed, rough above and downy beneath.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Composite flowers (heads) in an open to compact panicle (sometimes raceme-like), the branches spreading and with numerous bracts; heads about 3/4 in. wide, consisting of 8-20 light blue or violet (rarely white), narrow ray florets encircling a center disk of yellow or reddish tubular florets. 4-5 series of unequal green bracts with (often) purple tips closely surround the bell-shaped base of each head

Fruits: Fruit an achene with cream-colored tuft of hairs.

Comments:

Height: 2-5 ft.

plant sale text: Wavy-leaf American-aster has an upright habit and combines well with other late-summer perennials. It produces creamy-white ray flowers, surrounding yellow disc flowers, in upright flat-topped clusters. Its species name, undulatum, refers to its wavy leaves. This perennial prefers full sun and moist soil. It is generally seen growing in marshes, or at the edges of moist woods. It spreads by means of rhizomes as well as by seed.

bloom table text:

description: Erect or spreading-ascending, rhizomatous perennial found in dry forests, woodlands, glades and on road banks.

stems: Stems 1-several, with 8-25 nodes below the inflorescence, stiff, usually densely hairy.

leaves: Leaves alternate, the lower ones on clasping winged petioles with a basal flare (upper leaves clasping without a petiole), oval to lance-oval (lower leaves with heart-shaped base), 1 1/2-6 in. long, entire or toothed, rough above and downy beneath.

inflorescence:

flowers: Composite flowers (heads) in an open to compact panicle (sometimes raceme-like), the branches spreading and with numerous bracts; heads about 3/4 in. wide, consisting of 8-20 light blue or violet (rarely white), narrow ray florets encircling a center disk of yellow or reddish tubular florets. 4-5 series of unequal green bracts with (often) purple tips closely surround the bell-shaped base of each head

fruits: Fruit an achene with cream-colored tuft of hairs.

comments:

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range: eastern United States