Aromatic Aster
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium o
Brush the leaves for a resinous fragrance, then watch it mound over in violet-purple bloom into November. Thrives in lean, dry, rocky soil.
Typically 1 pint–1 gal · $9–$30 · final price at pickup
- Thu, Aug 138 AM – 4 PM
- Fri, Aug 148 AM – 4 PM
- Sat, Aug 158 AM – 2 PM
Fragrant foliage, spectacular fall violet bloom, and exceptional pollinator value. one of the best native asters in the palette.
Aromatic Aster earns its common name the moment you brush the foliage: the leaves release a pleasant, resinous fragrance that lingers on your fingers. In fall the plant transforms into a mound of violet-purple daisy flowers with yellow centers, blooming right through October and into November in mild years. The timing and color make it one of the most important fall pollinator plants available. Crush a leaf and smell it. That's what you get every time you walk by this plant for the rest of fall. The mounded, compact growth habit stays tidy without staking, and it tolerates lean, dry, rocky soil that challenges most other fall-blooming natives. The combination of fragrance, spectacular fall bloom, drought tolerance, and extraordinary pollinator value makes this one of our most recommended plants.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown aromatic 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
- Dry
- Mature size
- 1.5–2 ft · 24–36 in wide
- Bloom time
- September–November
- Bloom color
- Purple
- USDA zones
- 3–8
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Native range
- Central and eastern United States, from Pennsylvania south to Alabama, west to Montana
Care notes for aromatic aster.
Plant in full sun in well-drained to dry, average soil. Excellent in rocky or lean conditions. Cut back by one-third in late May for a compact, self-supporting mound. Divide every 3-4 years in spring. Very drought-tolerant once established. The fragrant foliage is mildly deer-resistant. rub a leaf and you'll understand why deer move on.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside aromatic aster.
Or skip the guesswork.
Curated packages bundle complementary species for an instant habitat. One reservation, one pickup day, a printed layout map.
Short on Space Package
For gardeners who have an abundance of passion but are short on space, this package features tidy, upright, clump-forming natives that behave and function well in small spaces.
Shade Bed Package
Ferns, sedges, and woodland natives that thrive under existing trees.
Birder’s Paradise Package
For the avid bird watchers and budding ornithologists in our community, the Birder’s Paradise Package consists of species that Hill House Nursery staff and longtime native plant advocates such as Doug Tallamy consider ‘premier bird garden plants’.