Smooth AsterSymphyotrichum laeve
Smooth Aster produces blue to purple flowers in fall, grows to a medium height, and prefers dry to medium soil in partial shade to full sun.
USDA symbol: SYLA3
General Information
| Plant Type | Forb |
|---|---|
| Height | 3 to 4 feet |
| Light Exposure | Sun |
| Soil Moisture | Dry |
| Bloom Color | Blue |
Tolerances
| Flooding / Inundation Tolerance | Low |
|---|---|
| General Resilience | 7 |
| Salt Tolerance | Medium |
| Stress Tolerance | Drought Tolerant, Fire Tolerant |
Pollinator Value: Very High
| Bloom Months | September to October |
|---|---|
| Larval Host of | Bees |
| Specific Pollinators Hosted | Numerous bee species |
| Pollinator Benefit | Insect Pollinated, Provides Nectar, Stem Nesting, Supports Generalists |
Project Planning
| Project Type | Sandy or Engineered Soils, Shoreline Buffer |
|---|---|
| Coefficient of Conservatism | 6 |
| Herbivore Sensitivity | Low |
| Lifespan | Perennial |
| Rate of Spread | Medium |
| Soil Stabilization | Shallow |
| Vegetative Reproduction | Clonal |
Range
| County | Anoka, Becker, Beltrami, Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Carlton, Cass, Chippewa, Chisago, Clay, Clearwater, Cottonwood, Crow Wing, Dakota, Douglas, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Grant, Hennepin, Houston, Hubbard, Itasca, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Kittson, Koochiching, Lac qui Parle, Lake of the Woods, Le Sueur, Lincoln, Lyon, Mahnomen, Marshall, Martin, McLeod, Meeker, Morrison, Mower, Murray, Nobles, Norman, Otter Tail, Pennington, Pipestone, Polk, Pope, Ramsey, Red Lake, Renville, Rock, Roseau, Sibley, St. Louis, Stearns, Steele, Stevens, Todd, Traverse, Wabasha, Wadena, Waseca, Washington, Watonwan, Wilkin, Winona, Wright, Yellow Medicine |
|---|---|
| Ecoregion | Driftless Area, Lake Agassiz Plain, North Central Hardwood Forests, Northern Glaciated Plains, Northern Lakes and Forests, Northern Minnesota Wetlands, Western Cornbelt Plains |
| Approximate Eco Province | Eastern Broadleaf Forest, Laurentian Mixed Forest, Prairie Parkland, Tallgrass Aspen Parklands |