• Photo of Symphyotrichum pilosum (Symphyotrichum pilosums)

Plant Profile: Symphyotrichum pilosum

Taxonomy: Symphyotrichum pilosum

Names

Awl-Aster, Frost Aster, Michaelmas Daisy, Oldfield Aster, Steelweed, White-Heath Aster

  • Photo of Symphyotrichum pilosum (Symphyotrichum pilosums)

Phonetic Spelling:sim-fy-oh-TRY-kum pil-OH-sum

Genus:Symphyotrichum

Species:pilosum

Family:Asteraceae

Frost Aster is a perennial herb that can reach heights of 4 to 5 feet. It tends to grow abundantly in many areas of the eastern United States. The plant features alternate leaves with smooth edges, and both the stems and leaves are adorned with fine hairs. Its roots are fibrous, forming a woody crown. In late summer, small white flowers with yellow centers begin to bloom and continue to thrive into late fall. The plant produces dry seeds, known as achenes, which mature by late fall. Frost Aster thrives in dry environments, particularly in rocky or sandy soils.

Seasons of Interest:
- Blooms: Late Summer/Fall
- Fruit/Seed/Nut: Winter

Symphyotrichum pilosum Feature Summary

Symphyotrichum pilosum Image Gallery

Tags

#showy flowers
#fall flowers
#perennial
#white flowers
#weed
#wildlife plant
#weedy
#nectar plant
#native bees
#specialized bees
#herb garden
#food source
#NC native
#native garden
#hairy leaves
#pollinator plant
#native wildflower
#wildflower garden
#larval host plant
#food source winter
#lawn weed
#hairy stems
#native weed
#perennial weed
#dry soils tolerant
#butterfly friendly
#bee friendly

Similar Plants

Symphyotrichum pilosum is often confused with:

Symphyotrichum pilosum Feature Summary

Attributes
Host plant for the Pearl Crescent butterfly. Flowers are attractive to bees and butterflies. Songbirds and small mammals eat the seeds. Members of the genus Symphyotrichum support the following specialized bees: Andrena (Callandrena s.l.) asteris, Andrena (Callandrena s.l.) asteroides, Andrena (Cnemidandrena) hirticincta, Andrena (Cnemidandrena) nubecula, Andrena (Callandrena s.l.) placata, Andrena (Callandrena s.l.) simplex, and Colletes simulans.
Perennial
Wildlife Food Source
Fruit
Dry seed (achene) that matures in late fall.
Flowers
Small, white daisy-like flowers 1/2"-3/4" wide cover the top of the plant on the end of stems. Blooms appear late August through fall. Yellow disk flowers are surrounded by 16-25 white ray flowers.
White
Gold/Yellow
7 - 20 petals/rays
< 1 inch
Leaves
Alternate with a smooth margin green above gray below, hairy on the edges and petioles.
Green
Gray/Silver
Velvety
Stem
Erect, many branches, smooth or with long soft hairs
Hairy (pubescent)
Whole Plant Traits
Perennial
Native Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Herb
Erect
Clumping
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Good Drainage
Occasionally Dry
3 feet-6 feet
12 inches-3 feet
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Landscape
Butterfly Garden
Pollinator Garden
Native Garden
Naturalized Area
Butterflies
Pollinators
Songbirds
Specialized Bees

Symphyotrichum pilosum Attributes

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Country Or Region Of Origin

North America

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Wildlife Value

Host plant for the Pearl Crescent butterfly. Flowers are attractive to bees and butterflies. Songbirds and small mammals eat the seeds. Members of the genus Symphyotrichum support the following specialized bees: Andrena (Callandrena s.l.) asteris, Andrena (Callandrena s.l.) asteroides, Andrena (Cnemidandrena) hirticincta, Andrena (Cnemidandrena) nubecula, Andrena (Callandrena s.l.) placata, Andrena (Callandrena s.l.) simplex, and Colletes simulans.

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems)

Moderately deer resistant.

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Play Value

Attractive Flowers
Attracts Pollinators
Buffer
Colorful
Defines Paths
Easy to Grow
Edible fruit
Fragrance
Pieces Used in Games
Screening
Shade
Sound
Textural
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Wildlife Nesting
Wind Break
Wind Shimmer

Symphyotrichum pilosum Fruit

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Fruit Description

Dry seed (achene) that matures in late fall.

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Fruit Type

Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Display/Harvest Time

Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter

Symphyotrichum pilosum Flowers

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Flower Description

Small, white daisy-like flowers 1/2"-3/4" wide cover the top of the plant on the end of stems. Blooms appear late August through fall. Yellow disk flowers are surrounded by 16-25 white ray flowers.

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Gold/Yellow
filter_vintage
White

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Flower Petals

2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Flower Shape

Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Symphyotrichum pilosum Leaves

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Leaf Description

Alternate with a smooth margin green above gray below, hairy on the edges and petioles.

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Leaf Color

spa
Gray/Silver
spa
Green

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Leaf Feel

Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy

Symphyotrichum pilosum Stem

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Stem Description

Erect, many branches, smooth or with long soft hairs

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Stem Color

grass
Green

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Stem Surface

Corky Ridges
Covered with a powdery bloom (glaucous)
Dull
Hairy (pubescent)
Polished
Smooth (glabrous)

Symphyotrichum pilosum Whole Plant Traits

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Symphyotrichum pilosum Cultural Conditions

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Symphyotrichum pilosum: NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Symphyotrichum pilosum: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
4a
thermostat
4b
thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Symphyotrichum pilosum Landscape

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees

Symphyotrichum pilosum: Problems

Allelopathic
Contact Dermatitis
Frequent Disease Problems
Frequent Insect Problems
Invasive Species
Malodorous
Messy
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Children
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Short-lived
Spines/Thorns
Weak Wood
Weedy