Symphyotrichum Species, Georgia Aster, Wild Aster

Exceptionally large (2 1/4 to 2 1/2"), deeply colored flowers.

The Mt. Cuba Center (near Wilmington, DE Z7a/6b) published ...Read Morea report in 2006 after evaluating 56 commercially available taxa of asters. They found this species noteworthy for its landscape performance and worthy of wider use, though its late bloom (mid October to late November) was often prematurely terminated by frost. http://www.mtcubacenter.org/images/PDFs-and-SWFs/Mt_Cuba_Rep...

As with many tall asters, stems are said to grow shorter, bushier and stronger if cut back in late spring.

BONAP says that this beautiful plant native to the southeastern US has been extirpated in Florida and is rare in the four states in which it's still found: AL, GA, SC, and NC.
http://bonap.net/NAPA/TaxonMaps/Genus/County/Symphyotrichum

I haven't grown it yet, but I fully intend to next spring.

This is one of the most stunning asters I've grown, with the impact of an A oblongifolius but with larger & darker flowers and much great...Read Moreer size (around 4' tall & wide) I don't know if the plant I propagated mine from was a special selection or what, but the place I got it from in TX had it where it was habitually over watered. It was also over watered in one of the gardens I put it in in LA and it did fine. I've also grown it in drought conditions. One of the most forgiving plants I know, even thriving in sand in the salty and constant winds of San Antonio bay with 12" of rain a year. I hope it becomes more easily available!

I bought several Georgia Asters last year around mid spring here in NE Florida and planted them in several different beds in my front yar...Read Mored that have dry, well draining soil, and BAKE all day in our hot sun. The plants did amazingly well with little care except for watering once a week for the first month. After that they got little care and still flourished. I am assuming they will come up again this spring considering how well they did last year and they were nice to have in the fall when most other plants were done blooming.

Deep purple, 2" asters. Needs excellent drainage and will grow well in dry soil. Slowly spreads with more stems and a wider spread each...Read More year. Listed as threatened in North Carolina and observed to be declining in population. Currently found in the Southeast from NC down to FL, AL, LA (not in MS). An easy, beautiful perennial.