Calico Aster, Side-flowering Aster, Symphyotrichum lateriflorum L. [Aster lateriflorus], Native Minnesota Wildflower plant, Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden, side-Flowering Aster

(Side-flowering Aster). Stems: This native perennial aster grows to 3 feet high with branching at the top of the stem. The lower stems have whitish hairs and are green initially but can turn reddish brown at flowering time. Flowers: The inflorescence is formed by long-branched side stems that contain well spaced flowers on the upper sides of the branches, hence the common name of "side-flowering." Flowers have very small flower heads (about 1/3" wide) with 9 to 15 white to purple tinged ray flowers surrounding a disk of 8-16 disk flowers that are pale yellow initially but turn to darker reddish colors at maturity. The heads have small linear bracts with green diamond shape tips, tight against the head, infrequently spreading. Seeds are a dry achene with a tuft of hair for wind dispersion. Leaves are lanceolate, alternate with lance-like tips, uppers mostly stalkless, lower with stalks, sometimes with a few sharp teeth toward the tips of larger leaves. Lower leaves can be up to 5" long.

Habitat: Side-flowering Aster grows from small rhizomes with fibrous roots, forming small colonies by vegetative offshoots of the roots. It grows best in rich, slightly moist soil with partial sun. Full sun will usually stress the plant unless there is continuous moisture. It is often found at woodland edges and other partially shaded opening.

Comparisons: The flowers are similar to the White Heath Aster in size, but the leaves are much larger, but shorter and more oval than those of White Panicle Aster. These latter two asters have flowers in dense clusters, not like the side flowering branches of this aster. The older scientific name for this aster is Aster lateriflorus. All the new world asters, formerly in the genus Aster, have now been reclassified, most into the genus Symphyotrichum. Both the older lateriflorus and the current lateriflorum refer to the lateral flowering branches. There is no particular variety of this species recognized in Minnesota as native, although Eloise Butler listed the Garden plants as var. hirsuticaulis. See below.

	Plants of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden
	Common Name	Scientific Name	Plant Family	Garden Location	Prime Season
	Calico Aster	Symphyotrichum lateriflorum (L.) A. Love & D. Love[older - Aster lateriflorus]	Aster (Asteraceae)	Woodland	Late summer into Autumn
Other names and notes	(Side-flowering Aster). Stems: This native perennial aster grows to 3 feet high with branching at the top of the stem. The lower stems have whitish hairs and are green initially but can turn reddish brown at flowering time. Flowers: The inflorescence is formed by long-branched side stems that contain well spaced flowers on the upper sides of the branches, hence the common name of "side-flowering." Flowers have very small flower heads (about 1/3" wide) with 9 to 15 white to purple tinged ray flowers surrounding a disk of 8-16 disk flowers that are pale yellow initially but turn to darker reddish colors at maturity. The heads have small linear bracts with green diamond shape tips, tight against the head, infrequently spreading. Seeds are a dry achene with a tuft of hair for wind dispersion. Leaves are lanceolate, alternate with lance-like tips, uppers mostly stalkless, lower with stalks, sometimes with a few sharp teeth toward the tips of larger leaves. Lower leaves can be up to 5" long. Habitat: Side-flowering Aster grows from small rhizomes with fibrous roots, forming small colonies by vegetative offshoots of the roots. It grows best in rich, slightly moist soil with partial sun. Full sun will usually stress the plant unless there is continuous moisture. It is often found at woodland edges and other partially shaded opening. Comparisons: The flowers are similar to the White Heath Aster in size, but the leaves are much larger, but shorter and more oval than those of White Panicle Aster. These latter two asters have flowers in dense clusters, not like the side flowering branches of this aster. The older scientific name for this aster is Aster lateriflorus. All the new world asters, formerly in the genus Aster, have now been reclassified, most into the genus Symphyotrichum. Both the older lateriflorus and the current lateriflorum refer to the lateral flowering branches. There is no particular variety of this species recognized in Minnesota as native, although Eloise Butler listed the Garden plants as var. hirsuticaulis. See below.