by Jeffrey S. Pippen | Back to Jeff's Plant Page | Jeff's Nature Pages
Asteraceae (Compositae) > Symphyotrichum (Aster) | |
Large Flower Aster (Symphyotrichum grandiflorum, Aster grandiflorus) Orange Co., NC 24 Sep 2004 Most authorities now place many "asters" native to the U.S. into the genus Symphyotrichum. This species is uncommon in NC where it is found scattered across the piedmont and coastal plain. It is endemic to the Carolinas and Virginia. | |
Large Flower Aster (Symphyotrichum grandiflorum, Aster grandiflorus) Chatham Co., NC 2 Oct 2011 | |
Large Flower Aster (Symphyotrichum grandiflorum, Aster grandiflorus) Chatham Co., NC 2 Oct 2011 Nectar produced by this aster is appreciated by many species of butterflies, including this Fiery Skipper. | |
Large Flower Aster (Symphyotrichum grandiflorum, Aster grandiflorus) Chatham Co., NC 2 Oct 2011 | |
Large Flower Aster (Symphyotrichum grandiflorum, Aster grandiflorus) Chatham Co., NC 2 Oct 2011 |
Narrowleaf Smooth Aster (Aster concinnus, Symphyotrichum laeve var. concinnus) Edge gravel road in Duke Forest, Durham, NC 27 Sep 2009 Rare in North Carolina, this aster grows in woodlands with high pH soils over mafic rocks. | |
Narrowleaf Smooth Aster (Aster concinnus, Symphyotrichum laeve var. concinnus) Edge gravel road in Duke Forest, Durham, NC 27 Sep 2009 | |
Narrowleaf Smooth Aster (Aster concinnus, Symphyotrichum laeve var. concinnus) Edge gravel road in Duke Forest, Durham, NC 27 Sep 2009 | |
Narrowleaf Smooth Aster (Aster concinnus, Symphyotrichum laeve var. concinnus) Edge gravel road in Duke Forest, Durham, NC 27 Sep 2009 Stems are mostly glabrous. | |
Narrowleaf Smooth Aster (Aster concinnus, Symphyotrichum laeve var. concinnus) Edge gravel road in Duke Forest, Durham, NC 27 Sep 2009 Leaves are lanceolate-linear, narrow, nearly sessile, clasping to slightly auriculate. | |
Narrowleaf Smooth Aster (Aster concinnus, Symphyotrichum laeve var. concinnus) Edge gravel road in Duke Forest, Durham, NC 27 Sep 2009 | |
Narrowleaf Smooth Aster (Aster concinnus, Symphyotrichum laeve var. concinnus) Edge gravel road in Duke Forest, Durham, NC 27 Sep 2009 | |
Late Purple Aster (Symphyotrichum patens) = (Aster patens) Chatham Co., NC 20 Oct 2005 | |
Late Purple Aster (Symphyotrichum patens) = (Aster patens) Chatham Co., NC 20 Oct 2005 |
Eastern Silver Aster (Symphyiotrichum concolor) Scotland Co., NC 1 Oct 2006 Statewide in NC, more common in the eastern half, this species was formerly Aster concolor. | |
Eastern Silver Aster (Symphyiotrichum concolor) Scotland Co., NC 1 Oct 2006 | |
Eastern Silver Aster (Symphyiotrichum concolor) Scotland Co., NC 1 Oct 2006 |
Blue Wood Aster, Heartleaf Aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium, Aster cordifolius) Mt. Mitchell State Park, Yancey Co., NC 13 Sep 2008 In NC, common in the mountains and rare elsewhere in the state. Grows in mesic forest edge habitats. | |
Blue Wood Aster, Heartleaf Aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium, Aster cordifolius) Mt. Mitchell State Park, Yancey Co., NC 13 Sep 2008 | |
Blue Wood Aster, Heartleaf Aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium, Aster cordifolius) Mt. Mitchell State Park, Yancey Co., NC 13 Sep 2008 | |
Blue Wood Aster, Heartleaf Aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium, Aster cordifolius) Mt. Mitchell State Park, Yancey Co., NC 13 Sep 2008 Leaves are alternate and heart-shaped. | |
Blue Wood Aster, Heartleaf Aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium, Aster cordifolius) Mt. Mitchell State Park, Yancey Co., NC 13 Sep 2008 | |
Rice Button Aster, Bushy Aster, Long-stalked Aster (Symphyotrichum dumosum, Aster dumosus) Duke Forest, Durham Co., NC 30 June 2019 Common in NC in fields, power line cuts, various disturbed areas | |
Rice Button Aster, Bushy Aster, Long-stalked Aster (Symphyotrichum dumosum, Aster dumosus) Duke Forest, Durham Co., NC 30 June 2019 Disk flowers with erect corollas; yellowish to reddish | |
Rice Button Aster, Bushy Aster, Long-stalked Aster (Symphyotrichum dumosum, Aster dumosus) Duke Forest, Durham Co., NC 30 June 2019 Flat phyllaries with non-subulate tips | |
Rice Button Aster, Bushy Aster, Long-stalked Aster (Symphyotrichum dumosum, Aster dumosus) Duke Forest, Durham Co., NC 30 June 2019 | |
Rice Button Aster, Bushy Aster, Long-stalked Aster (Symphyotrichum dumosum, Aster dumosus) Duke Forest, Durham Co., NC 30 June 2019 | |
Rice Button Aster, Bushy Aster, Long-stalked Aster (Symphyotrichum dumosum, Aster dumosus) Duke Forest, Durham Co., NC 30 June 2019 | |
Rice Button Aster, Bushy Aster, Long-stalked Aster (Symphyotrichum dumosum, Aster dumosus) Duke Forest, Durham Co., NC 30 June 2019 |
Purplestem Aster (Aster puniceus, Symphyotrichum puniceum) Mt. Mitchell State Park, Yancey Co., NC 13 Sep 2008 Common in NC in wet soils in various habitats. | |
Purplestem Aster (Aster puniceus, Symphyotrichum puniceum) Mt. Mitchell State Park, Yancey Co., NC 13 Sep 2008 | |
Purplestem Aster (Aster puniceus, Symphyotrichum puniceum) Mt. Mitchell State Park, Yancey Co., NC 13 Sep 2008 | |
Purplestem Aster (Aster puniceus, Symphyotrichum puniceum) Mt. Mitchell State Park, Yancey Co., NC 13 Sep 2008 Stems are reddish purple and hairy, and the midribs of the leaf undersurfaces also hairy. | |
Purplestem Aster (Aster puniceus, Symphyotrichum puniceum) Mt. Mitchell State Park, Yancey Co., NC 13 Sep 2008 | |
Purplestem Aster (Aster puniceus, Symphyotrichum puniceum) Mt. Mitchell State Park, Yancey Co., NC 13 Sep 2008 |
New York Aster (Symphyotrichum novi-belgii, Aster novi-belgii) Dare Co., NC 4 Nov 2005 A common aster in the NC coastal plain in savannahs, marshes, wet dunes, and pine lands. Ray flower color is variable from nearly white to bluish-violet. | |
New York Aster (Symphyotrichum novi-belgii, Aster novi-belgii) Dare Co., NC 4 Nov 2005 | |
New York Aster (Aster novi-belgii) Dare Co., NC 4 Nov 2005 Growing at the edge of a Phragmites marsh in the back dunes at the north end of Pea Island on the Outer Banks. |
Frost Aster, Hairy White Oldfield Aster, Hairy Aster (Symphyotrichum pilosum, Aster pilosus) Brunswick Co., NC 29 Oct 2006 Common statewide in NC in a variety of open, often disturbed habitats. | |
Frost Aster, Hairy White Oldfield Aster, Hairy Aster (Symphyotrichum pilosum, Aster pilosus) Brunswick Co., NC 29 Oct 2006 | |
Frost Aster, Hairy White Oldfield Aster, Hairy Aster (Symphyotrichum pilosum, Aster pilosus) Brunswick Co., NC 29 Oct 2006 |
Eastern Annual Saltmarsh Aster (Symphyotrichum subulatum, Aster subulatus) Hyde Co., NC 16 Sep 2006 Common in tidal marshes along the NC coast. | |
Eastern Annual Saltmarsh Aster (Symphyotrichum subulatum, Aster subulatus) Hyde Co., NC 16 Sep 2006 |
Wavyleaf Aster (Symphyotrichum undulatum, Aster undulatus) Duke Forest, Orange Co., NC 15 Oct 2006 Common in NC along dry woodlands, roadbanks, etc. | |
Wavyleaf Aster (Symphyotrichum undulatum, Aster undulatus) Duke Forest, Orange Co., NC 15 Oct 2006 | |
Wavyleaf Aster (Symphyotrichum undulatum, Aster undulatus) Duke Forest, Orange Co., NC 15 Oct 2006 Note clasping stem leaves and pubescent stems. | |
Wavyleaf Aster (Symphyotrichum undulatum, Aster undulatus) Duke Forest, Orange Co., NC 15 Oct 2006 Thanks to Harry LeGrand for ID of this aster. |
Southern Swamp Aster, Savannah Grass-leaved Aster (Eurybia paludosa, Aster paludosus) Scotland Co., NC 1 Oct 2006 Common in NC in the coastal plain in savannas, sandhills, pososin edges, etc. | |
Southern Swamp Aster, Savannah Grass-leaved Aster (Eurybia paludosa, Aster paludosus) Pender Co., NC 13 Sep 2009 | |
Southern Swamp Aster, Savannah Grass-leaved Aster (Eurybia paludosa, Aster paludosus) Scotland Co., NC 1 Oct 2006 | |
Southern Swamp Aster, Savannah Grass-leaved Aster (Eurybia paludosa, Aster paludosus) Scotland Co., NC 1 Oct 2006 | |
Southern Swamp Aster, Savannah Grass-leaved Aster (Eurybia paludosa, Aster paludosus) Scotland Co., NC 1 Oct 2006 Note the grass-like leaves. | |
Slender Aster (Eurybia compacta, Aster gracilis) Craven Co., NC 27 Aug 2006 Found in the eastern half of NC, Slender Aster is endemic to the southeastern US coastal plain and grows in dry soils, often sandy, and often near pines. | |
Slender Aster (Eurybia compacta, Aster gracilis) Craven Co., NC 27 Aug 2006 | |
Slender Aster (Eurybia compacta, Aster gracilis) Pender Co., NC 13 Sep 2009 | |
Slender Aster (Eurybia compacta, Aster gracilis) Pender Co., NC 13 Sep 2009 | |
Slender Aster (Eurybia compacta, Aster gracilis) Craven Co., NC 27 Aug 2006 |
Bigleaf Aster (Aster macrophyllus, Eurybia macrophylla) Mt. Mitchell State Park, Yancey Co., NC 13 Sep 2008 In NC, found in various forested habitats at mid to high elevations in the mountains. | |
Bigleaf Aster (Aster macrophyllus, Eurybia macrophylla) Mt. Mitchell State Park, Yancey Co., NC 13 Sep 2008 | |
Bigleaf Aster (Aster macrophyllus, Eurybia macrophylla) Mt. Mitchell State Park, Yancey Co., NC 13 Sep 2008 Leaves are large for an Aster. | |
Bigleaf Aster (Aster macrophyllus, Eurybia macrophylla) Mt. Mitchell State Park, Yancey Co., NC 13 Sep 2008 |
Stiff Aster, Flaxleaf Whitetop Aster (Ionactis linariifolius, Aster linariifolius) Pender Co., NC 16 Oct 2011 Statewide in NC, uncommon to common in places. | |
Stiff Aster, Flaxleaf Whitetop Aster (Ionactis linariifolius, Aster linariifolius) Pender Co., NC 16 Oct 2011 | |
Stiff Aster, Flaxleaf Whitetop Aster (Ionactis linariifolius, Aster linariifolius) Pender Co., NC 16 Oct 2011 | |
Stiff Aster, Flaxleaf Whitetop Aster (Ionactis linariifolius, Aster linariifolius) Pender Co., NC 16 Oct 2011 Leaves linear and stiff, at right angles to the stem. | |
Stiff Aster, Flaxleaf Whitetop Aster (Ionactis linariifolius, Aster linariifolius) Pender Co., NC 16 Oct 2011 |
Whorled Aster, Whorled Wood Aster (Aster acuminatus, Oclemena acuminata) Mt. Mitchell State Park, Yancey Co., NC 13 Sep 2008 Common in the NC mountains along the edges of forest streams. | |
Whorled Aster, Whorled Wood Aster (Aster acuminatus, Oclemena acuminata) Mt. Mitchell State Park, Yancey Co., NC 13 Sep 2008 | |
Whorled Aster, Whorled Wood Aster (Aster acuminatus, Oclemena acuminata) Mt. Mitchell State Park, Yancey Co., NC 13 Sep 2008 Note long acuminate leaf tips. | |
Whorled Aster, Whorled Wood Aster (Aster acuminatus, Oclemena acuminata) Mt. Mitchell State Park, Yancey Co., NC 13 Sep 2008 |
Unknown Aster from a bog in Alleghany Co., NC 1 July 2006 | |
Unknown Aster from a bog in Alleghany Co., NC 1 July 2006 | |
Annotated habitat and distribution information listed above is from Radford, Ahles, & Bell. 1968. Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas. UNC Press; and from personal observations and discussions with Will Cook, Harry LeGrand, and Bob Wilbur. Common names from personal experience and supplemented by the following resources USDA plants website, Flora of the Carolinas, Virginia, and Georgia, and NatureServe.
Created on May 7, 2006 | jeffpippen9@gmail.com