Calico Aster
Symphyotrichum lateriflorum
Tiny white stars age to pink and lavender, so one plant shows four colors at once. Blooms September through November for late monarchs and bees.
Typically 1 pint–1 gal · $9–$30 · final price at pickup
- Thu, Sep 248 AM – 4 PM
- Fri, Sep 258 AM – 4 PM
- Sat, Sep 268 AM – 2 PM
Late-blooming calico flowers that look different at each stage -- and one of the most important monarch rest stops in the fall garden.
Calico aster earns its name. The flowers are tiny white stars, each with a yellow center that turns rose-pink to lavender as it ages -- so on a single plant in full bloom, you see white, yellow, pink, and lavender all at once, creating a calico-quilt effect that is genuinely distinctive. The dark, almost black stems hold branches outward in a wide, arching habit that fills space beautifully without staking. It blooms heavily from September through November, one of the latest-blooming native asters and therefore one of the most valuable for migrating monarch butterflies and late-season native bees building up reserves for winter. Chickadees and small sparrows feed on the seeds through winter. A high-value, low-maintenance native for gardens of any scale.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown calico aster propagated on-site at Hill House from regional genetics. Includes a one-page care card. We make every effort to supply plants as listed; occasionally we substitute a similar species of equal value.
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Average
- Mature size
- 1.5–3 ft · 18–30 in wide
- Bloom time
- September–November
- Bloom color
- White, Pink, Lavender
- USDA zones
- 3–8
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Native range
- Eastern and central North America from Nova Scotia south to Florida and west to Nebraska, in disturbed areas, woodland edges, and moist thickets
Care notes for calico aster.
Full to part shade in average to dry, well-drained soil. Adapts to a wide range of conditions. Pinch in early July to control height. Cut back in early spring. Divide every three to four years. Self-seeds moderately; allow some seedlings to fill in gaps.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside calico aster.
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