Fall Blooming Wildflower - Small White Aster

Aster vimineusSeptember through mid October.
Family - Asteraceae - AsterSince there are more than 150 species of wild asters
This wild, fall blooming wildflower is so covered within North America, identification can be somewhat
small, pure white blossoms that it seems to explodedifficult sometimes. On this in, the flowers will be
with color. It usually is found in fairly large colonies inclustered on one side of the purplish tinged stem.
fields and meadows bordering woodlands. From aThe flowers are approximately one-half inch in
distance the plants almost seem like an intense whitediameter. The plants will range from two to five feet
cloud of color, and when blooming in conjunction within height and may arch back towards the ground.
goldenrod the effect can be quite breathtaking in theFor those wishing to incorporate wildflowers in the
autumn sun. The freshly opening flowers can have aperennial garden, this one may be a bit "weedy"
slight bluish hue, and look especially striking in thelooking. But in the right spot, it can add a bit of fall
early morning or late afternoon autumn sun.color to the normally bland perennial garden. The
The range of the Small White Aster runs from MaineSmall White Asters mass of tiny white blossoms are
in the United States, Ontario in Canada, and west tosure to please the eye, especially in combination with
Michigan. Then south to North Carolina, Indiana andother fall blooming wildflowers.
Missouri. It is a perennial wildflower, blooming during