Aster macrophyllus
Bigleaf Aster
- Hardiness: Zone :
- 3
- Plant Type:
- Perennial, Ground Cover
- Geography:
- Native
- Light:
- Sun/Part Shade, Shade/Part Sun, Shade
- Growth Rate:
- Fast
- Moisture:
- Moderately Wet to Moderately Dry
- Special Features:
- Attracts Butterflies, Deer Resistant
- Container Sizes:
- 2" plug, 4", 1-gallon, 2-gallon
- Mature Height:
- 2.5'
- Mature Spread:
- 6'
Hard to believe such a magnificent native aster abounds in our area but lives off the radar of so many northern gardeners. Oversized, heartshaped leaves develop to hosta proportions in good soil, or stay beautiful but smaller in poor conditions. The plant forms modest colonies in part shade, and then in late summer powerful, sturdy upright heads of the palest lavender flowers erupt to a height of 2' or more. This is no little aster and can hang with any perennial or shrub planting. Hardiness? Probably Zone 3, if not Zone 2!
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