The Best Native Ex-Aster Is A Very, Very Late Bloomer!

Symphyotrichum praealtum with its telltale prominent veining

'Miss Bessie' is a very, very, late blooming flower in my garden. It begins opening in mid to late October just as the Little ex-asters are starting to fade and continues to bloom through much of November. It has survived light frosts and we'll see today whether it survived the freezing fog that is forecast this morning.

Even after fifteen straight hours of rain the willow aster is the place to bee for nectar

It's an extremely important food source for pollinators still out and about on those beautiful warm fall days; one source suggests that it's a go to food source for migrating Monarch Butterflies. If you garden along the monarch trail I recommend planting this beauty (Prairie Moon Nursery has seeds).

Bumble moving very slow stops to nectar on 

I am thrilled when royalty stops by the garden, but, all the pollinators adore this beauty. By all, I mean every Bumble, tiny little fly, small bee or Skipper that's in the garden can be found nectaring on the sweet lilac-blue flowers from the time the sun moves past the canopy trees and warms up the garden, until it sets and everything cools off.

It leans toward the sun in less than full sun settings

Symphyotrichum praealtum is a tall grass prairie native that is harder to find than a tall grass prairie. It's listed as an endangered and threatened species in several states, including Tennessee, and in several Canadian provinces. (Go here to read about rescue efforts in Canada.) Luckily for me, blogging friend, Sweetbay, generously shared several starts of 'Miss Bessie' a few years ago. I am happy to say they bloomed that first fall and every one since then. It's ironic and wonderful that an endangered Middle Tennessee wildflower found its way home from NC. The resident pollinator send their thanks and love to you SB!

Willowleaf aster is an important late fall source of nectar and pollen

In my garden,  Willowleaf aster stands straight and tall until the top heavy blooms have it leaning toward the sun. It sways in the slightest breeze and only patience and hundreds of shots yields a good photo of any pollinators nectaring!  

You can tell this is a fly by its stubby antennae 

I'm scattering seeds and moving a plant or two to the hillside garden along with Chasmanthium laterfolium, Panicum virgatum and Rudbeckia triloba, where they can all colonize to their heart's content!

I can see it now~the best ever, late blooming native ex-aster swaying and dancing with the River Oats
while Bumbles nectar on its blooms.

xoxogail

PS It goes without saying, but you know me, I have to say it. If you want happy pollinators to live and visit your garden, you must, never, ever, ever, ever use pesticides. I'm not kidding...



Gail Eichelberger is a gardener and therapist in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone. She reminds all that the words and images are the property of the author and cannot be used without written permission.