False Aster

Description:

Perennial plant is about 3-5' tall. The alternate leaves are up to 6" long and ¾" across, becoming smaller and more narrow as they ascend the stems. Each flowerhead is about ¾" across, which has up to 60 white ray florets surrounding numerous yellow disk florets (less often, the ray florets may be pale pink or pale violet). The blooming period occurs from late summer into the fall and lasts about 1 month.

Habitat:

Habitats include openings in floodplain forests, soggy thickets,meadows, poorly drained areas of black soil prairies, marshes, and ditches. The preference is partial or full sun, wet to moist conditions, and a fertile loamy soil.

Notes:

The flowers attract many kinds of insects because the nectar and pollen are readily accessible.