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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

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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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image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Jim Brighton | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Gary P. Fleming
image of plant© Tom Potterfield | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Joey Shaw source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Tom Potterfield | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Jim Brighton | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

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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cultural notes:

germination code:

native range: