Symphyotrichum prenanthoides (Muhlenberg ex Willdenow) Nesom. Common name: Zigzag Aster. Phenology: Late Aug-Oct. Habitat: Moist or wet forests, roadbanks, fields. Distribution: MA, NY, s. ON, and MN, south to w. NC, TN, IL, and IA.
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Synonymy ⓘ: = FNA20, Il, K4, NE, NY, Pa, Tn, Va, Nesom (1994a); = Aster prenanthoides Muhl. ex Willd. — C, F, G, Oh3, RAB, S, SE1, Tat, W, WV
Links to other floras: = Symphyotrichum prenanthoides - FNA20
Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FAC
- Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FAC
- Midwest: FAC
- Northcentral & Northeast: FAC
Heliophily ⓘ: 5
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Horticultural Information
Intro: Erect, rhizomatous and colonial perennial found in mesic upland forests, floodplain forests and road banks.
Stems: Stems slightly zigzagged between nodes, with 15-30 nodes below the inflorescence, smooth below and finely hairy above.
Leaves: Leaves alternate, winged-petiolate and clasping, lance-shaped, 2 1/2-6 in. long, sharply toothed in the middle, rough to smooth above and smooth or loosely hairy along the mid-rib beneath.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Composite flowers (heads) in a leafy-bracted terminal panicle; heads 1-1 1/2 in. wide, consisting of 20-35 pale blue or violet (rarely white), narrow ray florets encircling a center disk of yellow tubular florets. Several whorls of sharp-tipped, narrowly linear green bracts surround the bell-shaped base of each head, their tips recurved-spreading.
Fruits: Fruit a yellow-tufted achene.
Comments:
Height: 1-4 ft.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Erect, rhizomatous and colonial perennial found in mesic upland forests, floodplain forests and road banks.
stems: Stems slightly zigzagged between nodes, with 15-30 nodes below the inflorescence, smooth below and finely hairy above.
leaves: Leaves alternate, winged-petiolate and clasping, lance-shaped, 2 1/2-6 in. long, sharply toothed in the middle, rough to smooth above and smooth or loosely hairy along the mid-rib beneath.
inflorescence:
flowers: Composite flowers (heads) in a leafy-bracted terminal panicle; heads 1-1 1/2 in. wide, consisting of 20-35 pale blue or violet (rarely white), narrow ray florets encircling a center disk of yellow tubular florets. Several whorls of sharp-tipped, narrowly linear green bracts surround the bell-shaped base of each head, their tips recurved-spreading.
fruits: Fruit a yellow-tufted achene.
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