Photo Gallery of Common Prairie Plants

(Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) Bloom time: Late Summer – Fall (August – October) Location: edges of roads or woods, moist fields. Prefers shade (general). Postage Stamp Prairie, Hillside Prairie, along paths on campus (Arb). Family: Asteraceae (Aster) Physical Description: This aster can be identified by its large clusters of flowers with ray like petals (40-100) and a central cluster of yellow disc flowers (yellow reddens with age). Color ranges from purple to rosy pink. Leaves have fine hairs on the underside. Grow to be 3 – 7 feet tall. Asters are among the latest blooming prairie plants in the Arboretum, flowering until mid-fall. They prove to be an important late-season source of food for many pollinators, including: bees, flies, and aphids. They have also been known to attract monarchs during their migration to Mexico. This plant is native to the Midwestern region of the United States, and is named for its resemblance to Aster varieties found on the east coast.