Wildflower Wednesday: Symphyotrichum novae-angliae

I wouldn't have a fall garden without the Asteraceae family members!

That doesn't mean that there aren't Asteraceaes blooming in the Spring or Summer. Of course there are, but, come September New England asters and other beauties take center stage as they step up to the job of feeding the visiting pollinators, birds and mammals as they prepare for winter.

One of my personal favorites is our Wildflower Wednesday star, Symphyotrichum novae-angliae.  Ever since taxonomists placed New World Asters in two new Genera, I've affectionately referred to them as Ex-asters. You've got to admit that's easier than trying to pronounce than Symphyotrichum or Eurybia (the second Genus for New World Asters.)

 Tennessee has an abundance of ex-asters There are at least 32 in the two new genera:  Symphyotrichum and Eurybia. 

 I admit when ever one is in bloom, it's my favorite and right now, Symphyotrichum novae-angliae is in gorgeous bloom.

   

No matter what you call them, the late summer/early fall ex-asters provide more pollen and nectar return on investment than many other garden flowers combined. New England asters bloom just in time for the late arriving pollinators which are making a mad dash to collect as much nectar and pollen for their last brood. 

 Nature you are so amazing.

found in every state but a few western ones and LA, TX  and Fl

Mass plantings of New England Aster is the way to go! That's what I do. Its gorgeous shades of dark purple to pink blossoms make a powerful late Summer/Early Fall display.

New England Aster can grow to 6 feet tall with a two foot or more spread. It has hairy leaves that clasp the stems and help distinguish it from other ex-asters. Flower stalks and bracts are covered with gland-tipped hairs. Their flower heads are composed of a yellow center and pink-purple rays. It blooms for almost two months from August to October. It's easy peasy to grow...just make sure it gets more than a half day of sun and water during the droughty summer months.  

watch out little bees

 The colorful blooms and the abundant nectar are magnets for all kinds of insects, including some insects that are themselves food for spiders, birds and other insect eating critters. With all this buggy activity going on your garden will be a haven for pollinators and local and fall migrating birds. This fall look for Black-Capped Chickadee and American Goldfinch dining at the seedheads.

landing pads of deliciousness for butterflies, bees, wasps and moths.

 I have a special place in my heart for New England Asters. These rough and tumble wildflower beauties are often found growing in meadows, prairies and roadside ditches. Although, New England asters have been hybridized, I haven't any in my garden. I especially appreciate my species plants that haven't had their best characteristics bred out of them. They're beautiful, they're doing the job nature intended them to do, which is to make a lot of nectar and pollen, exactly when the critters need both.

Be careful soldier beetle, there's a crab spider lurking in that flower

They're nondescript towering green giants until they bloom and then they're magnificent. I Chelsea Chop them (cut back) by a third if they're going to tower over smaller perennials, but, those in the back of the garden are left alone. Stop stopping by mid-June or you will  not have any flowers! Chopping them back not only keeps them from towering over other plants, it keeps them from flopping. Planting them with other assertive growers like Solidago, Cup plant, taller Coreopsis and Rudbeckias will keep them in check. Grasses like Little Bluestem and Panicum will keep them upright. 

 

Trust me they can survive among aggressive plants! But, do watch some of the Solidago.

 summer bloom pops open in shades of pale pink to deep purple

New England asters are a must have nectar and pollen plant for my garden/habitat, but, they are a critical late season pollen and nectar source for migrating Monarch Butterfly. So, if you garden under a flyway plant New England asters.
 

 

The Particulars

Family: Asteraceae

Common Name: New England aster 

Herbatious perennial  

Native Range: Eastern North America 

Source

Zone: 4 to 8 

Size: 3.00 to 6.00 feet tall with a  2.00 to 3.00 foot spread

Bloom: August to September 

Bloom Description: Deep pink-purple 

Sun: Full sun 

Water: Medium 

Maintenance: Medium 

Suggested Use: Naturalize, Rain Garden Flower: Showy, Good Cut 

Wildlife value: "The flowers are visited primarily by long-tongued bees, bee flies, butterflies, and skippers. Short-tongued bees and Syrphid flies also visit the flowers, but they collect pollen primarily and are non-pollinating. Among the long-tongued bees, are such visitors as bumblebees, honeybees, Miner bees, and large Leaf-Cutting bees. Cross-pollination by these insects is essential, otherwise the seeds will be infertile. The larvae of at least 40 moths feed on various parts of this and other asters (see Moth Table). Other insects feeding on this plant include Lygus lineolaris (Tarnished Plant Bug), Poccilocapsus lineatus (Four-Lined Plant Bug), Corythuche marmorata (Chrysanthemum Lace Bug), and Macrosiphum euphoriaca (Potato Aphid). The seeds and leaves of this plant are eaten to a limited extent by the Wild Turkey, while deer, livestock, and rabbits occasionally browse on the foliage, sometimes eating the entire plant. However, New England Aster isn't a preferred food source for these animals. " (Illinois Wildflowers Source)

Companion Planting: Canadian Goldenrod, Ironweed, Smooth Blue Aster, Aromatic Aster, Perennial Black-Eyed-Susan, Tall Sunflower, Showy Goldenrod, Spotted Bee Balm, native grasses, Frostweed

holding its own with other wildflowers

Comments: Can tolerate clay soil, needs some regular moisture, will spread assertively by seed. I leave the seed heads on for any birds that might want to eat them, but, if you are concerned about it spreading too much, just remove them before the achenes blow away.

Happy Wildflower Wednesday. 

xoxogail

Welcome to Clay and Limestone's Wildflower Wednesday celebration. WW is about sharing and celebrating wildflowers from all over this great big, beautiful world. Join us on the fourth Wednesday of each month. Remember, it doesn't matter if they are in bloom or not, and, it doesn't matter if we all share the same plants. It's all about celebrating wildflowers. Please leave your link in comments section.



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.

Wildflower Wednesday: A few must have fall blooming Asteraceas for the garden

Asteraceas rock Autumn. They bloom spring and summer here, but, come September they take center stage for all the pollinators, birds and mammals that are preparing for winter.

They may even be my favorite flower family....and what a flowering family it is with over 23,000 recognized species world wide. Here in Tennessee we have 320 to choose among, many of which we will only see if we look for them as we walk trails in wilderness areas or nature preserves.

Many of the Asteraceaes that I love can be found in old fields, prairie remnants and along the roadsides;  plants that until recently have been thought of as weeds.

Goldenrod/Solidago flowers

You've probably heard folks refer to these flowering plants as composites. Sunflower family is another name I've seen used. When plants are classified in a family it's because they have a similar genetic makeup and similar characteristics. Most Asteraceas have characteristics that make identifying them easier. For instance, if you look closely at any of the flowers in this post, you will see that what looks like one single flower is actually a composite of many smaller tube shaped florets. They have disk flowers, ray flowers or a combination of disks and rays. They also have bracts rather than sepals and they need wind or animals to disperse their seeds.

Verbesina virginica with numerous disk florets that are surrounded by ray florets

Most of the Asteraceas in my garden are rough and tumble, take care of themselves beauties that fill an important role in a garden ecosystem. Each one of these darlings provides more pollen and nectar return on investment than many other flowers combined.

numerous gold or yellow disk florets, surrounded by 30 or more ray florets

I think of them as landing pads of deliciousness for butterflies, bees, wasps and moths. They're magnets for all kinds of insects; including some that are themselves food for spiders, birds and other insect eating critters

I love this time of year with the attention grabbing Frostweeds, golden yellow of goldenrod, the brilliant pink and purple of the ex-asters, and the lilac-blues of Hardy Blue Mistflower against the Autumn blue sky. These early fall blooms with their intense, rich colors are a treat for our senses and necessary for our garden residents and visitors. 

If you asked me what plants I recommend for a pollinator friendly fall garden, I would tell you that you can't go wrong with the four I'm showcasing today.

You don't have to take my word for it~just walk trails in a local park, visit native plant gardens or check out your local nursery and notice which plants are attracting the most pollinator visitors.

Please enjoy a few more photos of my early fall favorites!

Frostweed

Verbesina virginica with its unusual white ray flowers is found on roadsides, woodlands and waste areas. It's a take care of itself plant that has enormous wildlife value for foraging pollinators (carpenter, honeybees, bumbles and small tongued bees and butterflies) during late summer when gardens are winding down.  It’s such an important food source for Monarch Butterflies that it had been selected as a monitoring plant by Monarch Watch. Frostweed grows in full sun, partial shade, or full shade with minimal watering or care.  Like most rough and tumble wildflowers, it can take care of itself.  Keep in mind that it reproduces very well from seed! The earliest I've seen the flowers open is late August in my Middle South garden and the best bloom is mid-September. Once in bloom you can expect them to be visited by an array of pollinators. The foliage is a larval host for the Summer Azure, Bordered Patch, and Silvery Checkerspot butterflies.

It really has a  lot going for it

1. rough and tumble good looks, 
2. it's a pollinator magnet
3. drought tolerant 
4. native species 
5. it magically makes ice flowers on cold and frosty mornings
6. Okay, it's not magic it's capillary action, but, I think that's magical.

It's a pretty spiffy wildflower.

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae/ex-aster

Here's another roadside weed that has hundreds of beautiful cultivars. It's a classic daisy flower that blooms in mid-September in my garden and looks spectacular with the Goldenrods. At one time this planting had a cultivar name, but the seedlings have taken over. Symphyotrichum novae-angliae are the first of the ex-asters to bloom. They're tall and gently sway in the slightest breeze. I didn't edit any out this past spring and they've spread to make a lovely show in pinks and purples.

Bumblebees, small bees, carpenterbees, butterflies, skippers and beneficial insects flock to these flowers.  Full sun and moist soil is preferred. I cut this plant back in June, but it still gets tall. Very easily grown from seed, this beauty has seeded itself all over my garden. But, you know, I love that!

Hardy Blue mist flower: Many gardeners under appreciate the charms of Hardy Ageratum. They consider it too weedy and aggressive for their gardens, until it blooms and then they begin wondering why the heck they haven't more of it! I no longer wonder why I haven't more, I've let it spread 4 feet down the side of the Susan's bed and I am thrilled with the river of blue.  

Conoclinium coelestinum is a graceful, low growing, eastern North American native wildflower that begins blooming in late August and continues through early fall. The lilac-blue flowers add a softness to late summer and fall gardens when rough and tumble flowers like the Susans, Goldenrods, Cup Plant, Verbesinas, Joe-Pye weeds and Ironweeds are making a large and loud scene. It's especially beautiful when allowed to naturalize and make its own big statement.

Butterflies and bees are drawn to the nectar-rich flowers, while birds eat the seeds. If you want more, and once you see it massed you will, it's easily propagated from seeds, cuttings, rootball divisions or layering. It thrives best in a well-drained acidic to neutral soils in a sunny environment. If you want easy care this is a great wildflower, but, it does naturalize easily, spreading by rhizome and seed (and is pulled out just as easily). 

Goldenrod/Solidago sps.

Goldenrods provide a big flower show each year and every bee, skipper, butterfly, soldier beetle, ambush bug, fly, spider, flower fly, etc... that visits or lives in this garden can be found noshing on it. You can't ask for a better wildlife valuable plant and when you combine them with the ex-asters, you get beauty and happy pollinators.

Goldenrods are the king of the colonizing wildflowers, some more than others! Don't let that stop you from adding them to your sunny garden. There are 100s of Solidago species in North America and you can be sure you will find several that make sense for your garden. I grow Solidago 'Fireworks' in the Susans Bed and Zigzag goldenrod/Solidago flexicaulis in one of the woodland gardens.  Neither are colonizers.  The rest are species and aggressive colonizers that I cull every spring and fall.


Give me this time of year with the intense colors of the wildflowers and the frenetic activity of pollinators, birds and other critters. These early fall blooms are a treat for the senses. But, my friends, it's only the beginning of the full fall show in a Middle South garden and I'll be sharing more Asteraceas and their critter visitors with you in the coming weeks.

Please remember, if you want to provide for fall pollinators you must plant landing pads of deliciousness like Goldenrods, Verbesinas, Hardy Bluemist flower, the ex-asters, and other wildflowers and you must never, ever, ever, ever, use pesticides in your garden. I do mean never!

Happy Wildflower Wednesday.
xoxogail

Thank you for stopping by and welcome to Clay and Limestone's Wildflower Wednesday celebration. WW is about sharing and celebrating wildflowers from all over this great big, beautiful world. Join us on the fourth Wednesday of each month. Remember, it doesn't matter if your wildflower is in bloom or not; and, it doesn't matter if we all share the same plants. It's all about celebrating wildflowers. Please leave a comment when you add your url to Mr Linky.

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.

Wildflower Wednesday: Autumn Equinox in Flower

I wasn't sure which of the glorious wildflowers of the Autumn Equinox to showcase for Wildflower Wednesday!

My first candidate was Salvia azurea. It's the best blue in my fall garden and each time it blooms I wish I had more.  

Pitcher sage is not only beautiful, it's a favorite of bees. The bumbles are the primary pollinator of this salvia and fit nicely into the lipped flowers. The Carpenter bee, although another frequent visitor, is not a pollinator.  It cannot fit into the flower, instead it slits open the corolla and robs the nectar while avoiding contact with the pollen. Occasionally, butterflies visit, but, I've not captured any photos this year...It's a sweet flower that's native to North Carolina south to Florida; west to Texas; north to Nebraska and Minnesota. It's happy in full sun or partial sun as long as it gets good drainage.

Conoclinium coelestinum

I considered Hardy Blue mist flower as a contender and even wrote a post, which I'll share later this season. It's another of my rough and tumble, take care of themselves wildflowers. Many gardeners under appreciate the charms of Hardy Ageratum. They consider it too weedy and aggressive for their gardens, until it blooms and then they, like me, begin wondering why the heck they haven't more of it! I am not wondering this year, I let it spread about 4 feet down the side of the Susan's bed and I am thrilled with the river of blue.

the red stems and the rough leaves are attractive, too.

It's a plant that you might want to consider using as a ground cover on most any soil, but it excels in heavier, moist soils. This wildflower species is native to eastern and central North America, from Ontario south as far as Florida and Texas.

Tall Coreopsis

The yellow composites were also in the running for Autumn Equinox star. Check out Coreopsis tripteris, it's still going strong. Imagine a Coreopsis on steroids, but, just the stems! These  plants can get really tall and are good at the back of most borders. We don't do that here...we plant where ever there is soil and no bedrock! Tall Coreopsis rather charmingly leans over and gently brushes against its neighboring plants! It's what happens when the trees create a shadier garden than the plants need. 

 I am so glad it's still in bloom to cuddle up next to the ex-asters. It can be found naturally occurring in the eastern US as far north as Rhode Island, south to Florida and across the Mississippi River as far west as Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa.

Ex-asters, Goldenrod and Tall Coreopsis

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae are the first of the ex-asters to bloom. They're tall and gently sway in the slightest breeze and look especially beautiful this year. I didn't weed them this past spring and they've spread to make a lovely show in pinks and purples.

found in every state but a few western ones and LA, TX  and Fl

They are pretty nondescript in a summer garden, but, more than make up for their greenness in mid September when they open up to feed the bees, skippers and butterflies. This native of eastern North America is an autumn-flowering gem with blooms ranging from pale pink to deep purple. New England asters are a critical late season nectar source for migrating Monarch Butterfly, so if you're lucky to be on the Monarch migration trail please plant a lot of them!

narrow elongated foliage and self supporting stems are a plus

Another good looking Asteraceae that was under consideration was Helianthus salicifolius 'First Light'. The later bloom is a plus for this tamer sunflower! Willowleaf sunflower has dozens of golden-yellow flowers with dark brown eyes on stems that need no support~even in my shadier space. If you grow 'First Light' or the species in shade it will be taller and less floriferous. When happy it might spread so be prepared to divide it every three years.

Birds enjoy the seeds and  the crab spider hiding on the petal lets me know that bees and small pollinators visit the flower. Helianthus salicifolius is not a native of Tennessee! I love it anyway! It is a native of the central United States, primarily in the Great Plains and Ozark Plateau (States of Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas).

Rudbeckia fulgid var fulgida might be my favorite of the Susans this year! They bloom late, and flower for a very long time. The long stemmed beauties have smaller flowers and are a favorite of the smaller bees. I've been growing it in containers to keep the more aggressive R fulgida from running it over.

If I had the energy I had 10 years ago I would take out most of the R fulgidas and plant this species. The stems are taller and the flower is in my opinion prettier. But, that's probably because the Susans are looking pretty seedy right now!

The Goldenrods are also star material for the Fall Equinox post.  I like to plant New England aster with goldenrod. A dynamic duo. A perfect marriage of good looks and functionality. They provide color and nectar at a time of year when both can be in short supply.

ambush bug just waiting for dinner to drop by

There are 100s of Solidago species in North America and you can be sure you will find several that make sense for your garden. I grow one cultivar~Solidago 'Fireworks' and love it. The rest are species, some prefer the woodland garden shade like Zigzag goldenrod and others are happiest in full sun.

I couldn't choose one, I love all my fall stars!

Give me this time of year with the intense yellow of goldenrod, the brilliant pink and purple of the New York asters and the lilac-blues of Hardy Blue Mistflower against the Autumn blue sky. These early fall blooms with their intense, rich colors are a treat for the senses.

But, they are so much more than pretty faces. Each one of these darlings provides more pollen and nectar return on investment than many other flowers combined. All of these native wildflowers are landing pads of deliciousness for butterflies, bees, wasps and moths. They're magnets for all kinds of insects; including some that are themselves food for spiders, birds and other insect eating critters.

These beauties are essential nectar and pollen sources for late visiting bees and butterflies, but also are known host plants for many moths and butterflies. The caterpillars of  Pearl Crescent and Checkerspot butterflies feed on Symphyotrichum novae-angliae; about ten different moths and butterflies rely on the foliage of Goldenrod; although, Mistflower is primarily a nectar source~it's foliage is eaten by several moth and butterfly cats.

My love affair with native plants has been going on for so long that now they are more beautiful to me than many classic garden flowers. I love  rough and tumble, take care of themselves wildflowers. I love their good wildlife value. I love that they are absolutely perfect for Clay and Limestone! 

Happy Wildflower Wednesday my friends.

xoxogail

Welcome to Clay and Limestone's Wildflower Wednesday celebration. WW is about sharing and celebrating wildflowers from all over this great big, beautiful world. Join us on the fourth Wednesday of each month. Remember, it doesn't matter if they are in bloom or not; and, it doesn't matter if we all share the same plants. It's all about celebrating wildflowers. Please leave a comment when you add your url to Mr Linky.



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.

Wildflower Wednesday: Some Plants Like to Challenge the Boundaries!

At Clay and Limestone we call several of them good friends.

Physostegia virginiana, aka, False dragonhead is a good friend of my garden. It's one of the rough and tumble wildflowers that makes gardening on my shallow, often dry garden soil worth the effort!

It's an enthusiastic grower, but, I decided years ago that a lovely lilac river of spiky flowers that attracts bumbles, small bees, skippers and hummers was worth having to pull out a few errant plants. (go here for more on this plant)

This mint can get a root hold in your moist, rich garden soil

Successful colonizers like False dragonhead do create work for gardeners. I've even heard several gardenblogging friends say they've banned them from their gardens! My dear friends, it's your garden plant what ever you want, but, please, don't call them invasive! They're colonizers! They're thug. They're highly competitive, but, they are not invasive species. Let's not scare off gardeners who may be considering planting more natives!

the first flowers open from the bottom

As many of you may know, my mostly native garden has its fair share of colonizers. I let them duke it out all summer and I am never disappointed by the fall show!

I do have to step into the fray occasionally to stop some of the more highly competitive plants like the  Solidagos from taking over. Goldenrods are the king of colonizing wildflowers, some more than others! Don't let that stop you from adding them to your garden, they are quite possibly the best wildflowers for critters and there are many delightful cultivars that are NOT thugs!

A Locust borer stops by for a snack

Goldenrods have great wildlife value. Native bees rely heavily on Goldenrods for both pollen and nectar to provide food for the winter brood's survival. Migrating butterflies stop by for the nectar to help them on their long flight and the seeds are needed by chickadees, finches and pine siskins during the winter. Goldenrods are also important attractors of beneficial insects like soldier beetles, hoverflies and pirate beetles.

We need those predators in our organic gardens....so plant goldenrods! Trust me, there's a perfect one for your garden!

This is the famous Frostweed in flower. It's a favorite of bumbles.

Verbesina virginica is another assertive native plant! Seedlings have germinated far from the parent plants thanks to wind and birds! That doesn't mean I would ban it from the garden, but, I am ruthless about removing seedlings of this biennial!

Buckeye butterfly visiting Verbesina

Verbesina is another good wildlife value plant. Bumbles, carpenter bees, beetles, butterflies and moths are frequent visitors. It's also the host plant for the caterpillars of the Silvery Checkerspot butterfly.

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae is another healthy colonizer, for which I am very grateful! After a long summer of Black-eyed Susan's I am ready for a big show!

New England aster with Helianthus salicifolius 'First Light'

A big lavender show is exactly what I have...This ex-aster spreads by seed, but this gardener is the one who has transplanted it to a dozen spots in my small sunny border! It's the perfect purple! It looks beautiful from across the garden and it is the perfect partner for one of my favorite late summer blooming asteraceas, Helianthus salicifolius 'First Light'.

You'lllove this flower massed in the garden

The same applies to this fantastic mist flower! If you have the space and temperament to let this plant go, please do. Conoclinium coelestinum is a plant that looks its best when allowed to naturalize. Cut it back in mid summer to keep it looking bushy and beautiful, and then let it do its beautiful thing. (go here for more on this wildflower)

Butterflies, skippers and bees are drawn to the nectar-rich flowers, while birds eat the seeds. If you want more, and once you see it massed you will, it's easily propagated from seeds or divisions. It can spread quickly if happy, but is pulled out just as easily. It grows in any soil except extremely dry. If you want easy care this is a great wildflower.

Thanks so much for stopping by to help me celebrate a few of my favorite boundary challenging native wildflowers! I've used words like colonizing, aggressive, thuggish, assertive, highly competitive, naturalizing, rhizome spread, and rough and tumble to describe them. But, don't let that scare you, colonizing plants make good garden friends.

Trust me, I'm a gardener!
xoxogail

Welcome to Clay and Limestone's Wildflower Wednesday celebration. WW is about sharing and celebrating wildflowers from all over this great big, beautiful world. Join us on the fourth Wednesday of each month. Remember, it doesn't matter if they are in bloom or not, and, it doesn't matter if we all share the same plants. It's all about celebrating wildflowers. Please leave a comment when you add your url to Mr Linky.



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.