Native Plants
Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.
Symphyotrichum racemosum
Symphyotrichum racemosum (Elliott) G.L. Nesom
Smooth White Oldfield Aster, Small-flower White Aster
Asteraceae (Aster Family)
Synonym(s): Aster brachypholis, Aster fragilis, Aster fragilis var. brachypholis, Aster fragilis var. subdumosus, Aster racemosus, Aster vimineus, Aster vimineus var. subdumosus, Symphyotrichum racemosum var. subdumosum
USDA Symbol: SYRA5
USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (I)
Numerous flower heads with white rays surrounding a yellowish to pinkish central disc; heads mostly clustered along one side of widely diverging branches on a smooth, slender, purple-tinged stem.
The many small-flowered asters found in eastern North America are often difficult to distinguish from one another, as are many of the large-flowered species.
From the Image Gallery
No images of this plant
Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Herb
Size Notes: Up to about 3 feet tall.
Fruit: Fruit is a cypsela (pl. cypselae). Though technically incorrect, the fruit is often referred to as an achene.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: White , Pink , YellowBloom Time: Aug , Sep , Oct
Distribution
USA: AL , AR , CT , DC , FL , GA , IL , IN , KY , LA , MD , ME , MO , MS , NC , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , TN , TX , VA , VT , WVCanada: NB
Native Distribution: Quebec and New Brunswick south to Florida, west to Texas, and northeast to Missouri, Illinois, and Ohio.
Native Habitat: Dry to moist fields, meadows, forests, and shorelines.
Benefit
Attracts: ButterfliesValue to Beneficial Insects
Special Value to Native BeesThis information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
National Wetland Indicator Status
Region: | AGCP | AK | AW | CB | EMP | GP | HI | MW | NCNE | WMVE |
Status: | FACW | FACW | FACW | FACW | FACW |
Web Reference
Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter
Additional resources
USDA: Find Symphyotrichum racemosum in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Symphyotrichum racemosum in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Symphyotrichum racemosum
Metadata
Record Modified: 2023-01-27Research By: TWC Staff