Short's Blue Wood Aster
Symphyotrichum shortii
Clear blue-violet flowers with yellow centers in September and October, on a woodland-edge aster that takes more shade than most fall bloomers.
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
True blue-violet fall aster for the woodland edge -- clear color and reliable fall butterfly activity in shaded spots where other asters struggle.
Short's blue wood aster is one of the finest native asters for woodland edge and light shade conditions. The flowers are a true, clear blue-violet -- not the washed-out lavender-white of some asters -- with bright yellow centers that turn reddish-brown as they age, adding warmth to the display. They open in September and October when monarchs and migrating butterflies need late fuel, and the seed heads that follow attract goldfinches and chickadees through the winter. The foliage is heart-shaped at the base, which gives a softer, more rounded texture than narrow-leaved asters. It tolerates more shade than most fall-blooming natives, making it valuable for the woodland edge position where summer-shaded plants need a fall closer. A worthy workhorse for the fall garden.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown short's blue wood 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
- 2–4 ft · 18–30 in wide
- Bloom time
- September–October
- Bloom color
- Purple, Blue
- USDA zones
- 4–8
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Native range
- Central and eastern United States from Ontario south to Tennessee and west to Minnesota and Kansas, in open woodlands and woodland edges
Care notes for short's blue wood aster.
Full sun to part shade in average, well-drained soil. More shade tolerant than most asters. Pinch back by one-third in early July to reduce height and increase branching. Cut back hard in early spring. Divide every three to four years to maintain vigor.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside short's blue wood 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’.