New England Aster

By Julie Boudreau

As August approaches, the floral landscape takes a new turn. Gradually, summer blooms give way to late season blooms. That’s when the New England asters appear!

New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae, formerly Aster novae-angliae) is, in my opinion, one of the most interesting plants for the autumn garden. First of all, it is a native plant, here in Quebec, whose distribution extends from Manitoba to the maritime provinces, from east to west and as far as South Carolina in the eastern United States. Then, it’s a real magnet for butterflies and pollinating insects in a summer that is drawing to a close. It provides that last burst of energy for the monarchs who are preparing for their long journey to the mountains of Michoacán. Then there is  its color. This strong mauve which contrasts with all the yellows and oranges so omnipresent in fall blooms. And finally, I enjoy seeing it mark fields along the highways with purple dots. One here, one there.  

I’m not the only one who has fallen in love with New England asters. Brother Marie-Victorin, noted Canadian botanist, preceded me by more than 90 years! In his famous book Flore Laurentienne, he describes with the most beautiful poetry the picture of the end of summer that the asters offer us: “When autumn comes, the goldenrods married to the asters make the St. Lawrence Valley an immense garden drowned in purple and gold.»

The Aster That No Longer Is One

Being part of a genus that had more than 600 species, it became necessary to rethink the Aster genus. This is partly how most North American asters were moved into the genuses Symphyotrichum, Doellingeria, Oclemena or Eurybia. The New England aster was no exception and is now a member of the genus Symphyotrichum.  

Recognize the New England Aster in All These Purples

In the wild, the New England aster is not the only one to bear purple flowers. You can’t instantly declare that the beautiful purple flower on the side of the highway is a New England aster. Other species have purple flowers, such as the New York aster (S. novi-belgii), the purple-stemmed aster (S. puniceum)

Like most asters, New England asters are an herbaceous plant that can produce a few stems. The plant generally branches towards the top to form the inflorescence. This is partly why this aster is often said to be bare at the base. The stems are more or less hairy.

The leaves are alternate along the stem. They are lanceolate, sessile and with a smooth margin. The further up the stem they go, the more they embrace the stem. They also have hairs.

The flowering appears in the form of a branched cluster with numerous flowers. Each flower has 40 to 100 purple petals, which we call florets. This is one of the unique features of this species: so many florets! Most often, the flowers are purple, but you can also find specimens with pink or white flowers. Under the flower, you will observe green, fine and pointed bracts. They also contribute to the identification of the species. Usually, identifying native asters causes a lot of headaches, but in the case of this one, it’s quite simple to recognize at first glance.

In southern Ontario, there is an aster that is a cross between the New England aster and the white heath aster (S. ericoides), which is called the amethyst aster (S. x amethystinum).  

Happy in the Garden as Much as in a Field!

The New England aster is versatile. It grows in virtually all soil types, but prefers dry, well-drained soils. Full sun is necessary for beautiful, generous flowering. However, it adapts to slightly less sunny places. It is also impressively hardy, being able to survive in zone 3.

Depending on the growing conditions, the height of the plant varies between 2 (60 cm) and 4 feet (120 cm). By pinching the plants at the beginning of June, when they are 6 inches (15 cm) high, they can be kept at a height of one foot or a foot and a half (30 or 45 cm). In width, it occupies a diameter of approximately a foot and a half (45 cm).

It is one of our native plants that is capable of occupying the role of an ornamental. Thus, it can be added to sunny flowerbeds, between shrubs and perennials, just to add a touch of autumn flowering. It is an interesting plant for the middle and back of flowerbeds. Due to its tendency to have an ungarnished base, tend to plant it tightly against other shorter plants which can camouflage its base.

Of course, any naturalization project, butterfly garden, pollinator garden, flower meadow cannot do without this plant.  

Hybrids to Discover

The New York asters (S. novi-belgii) experienced a prosperous period of hybridization in England in the early 1900s. Several of these cultivars then returned to America to be marketed there. However, in the case of New England asters, hybridization has taken place a lot in the United States, but not exclusively. Germany has developed a few interesting varieties.

For example, the ‘Harrington’s Pink’ aster was one of the first American hybrids of the New England aster to cross the ocean. In 1951, Curtis Gardens in Ohio offered the cultivars such as ‘Martha Haislip’, ‘Arizona Sunset’, ‘Pink Bouquet’, ‘Jessie Curtis’ and ‘Blue Skies’. Unfortunately, they all seem to have disappeared from recent catalogs.

Nowadays, you can find the following varieties quite easily:

• ‘Alma Pötschke’: Despite its unpronounceable name, it’s a classic and popular variety. Large plant with dark pink flowers, of beautiful intensity. Abundant flowering. H.: 3 feet (90 cm), W.: 2 feet (60 cm)
• ‘Grape Crush’: forms a small rounded mound of ruffled purple flowers. H.: 2 feet (60 cm), W.: 3 feet (90 cm)
• ‘Helen Picton’: flowers a little darker purple than the species. H.: 3 feet (90 cm), W.: 18 inches (45 cm)
• ‘Kickin Carmen Red’: dark pink, “chubby” flowers. Floriferous. H.: 3 feet (90 cm), W.: 2 feet (60 cm)
• ‘Kickin Lavender’: Very pale lavender flowers, almost white. H.: 2 feet (60 cm), W.: 2 feet (60 cm)
• ‘Kickin Lilac Blue’: Flowers of a beautiful soft mauve and “chubby”. Floriferous. H.: 3 feet (90 cm), W.: 2 feet (60 cm)
• ‘Kickin Pink Chiffon’: “Chubby” and light pink flowers. H.: 2 feet (60 cm), W.: 2 feet (60 cm)
• ‘Pink Crush’: Forms a small, rounded mound of ruffled, purple flowers. H.: 2 feet (60 cm), W.: 3 feet (90 cm)
• ‘Purple Dome’: One of my favorite varieties due to its small size. Flowering of a deep purple. H.: 18 inches (45 cm), W.: 18 inches (45 cm)
• ‘September Ruby’: large variety with dark pink, almost red flowers. H.: 4 feet (120 cm), W.: 2 feet (60 cm)
• ‘Vibrant Dome’: pretty candy pink flowers on a small plant. It is a variation of ‘Purple Dome’. H.: 18 inches (45 cm), W.: 2 feet (60 cm)  

These different hybrids make it possible to find a variant more suited to the needs of the garden.

Let’s now travel along the province’s highways in search of those first spots of purple announcing the presence of the New England aster. Looking forward to contemplate those gardens drowned in purple and gold!