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New England Asters are the asters that Robin Wall Kimmerer admired growing wild with goldenrods in her seminal book, Braiding Sweetgrass. They have the height and vigor to compete with Canada Goldenrod, the wild goldenrods that dominate old fields in the Northeastern U.S. The showy purple flowers provide a beautiful contrast to the yellows of both Goldenrods (Solidago spp.) and Wingstem (Verbesina alternifolia) which bloom in Floyd at the same time during the fall. And, as it turns out, not only does purple directly contrast yellow in color theory, but this kind of contrast is important (and highly attractive) to butterflies.
Cultivation
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae is clump-forming, but vigorous, tending to be tall, and self-sows readily, making it a challenge in the small tidy garden. However, there are at least 50 cultivars available, due to its dense showy blooms in the fall when most of the color in the garden has faded. Mt. Cuba Center introduced the ‘Purple Dome’ cultivar in 1989 from a naturally occurring specimen. It grows in tidy 2′ mounds covered in purple flowers in the fall. Not all cultivars provide the same ecosystem services of the straight native species, but many come close and are worth trying.
Best results with the straight species will be had by planting in moist rich soil in full sun, but this plant grows well in average well-drained soil here in Floyd, and has been found even in dry sandy soil. “When New England Aster blooms the lower leaves usually dry up, and this is normal. If height becomes an issue, cutting back the stems by mid-July can help control the need for staking.” (Prairie Nursery)
Ecology
This Tallamy keystone species supports upwards of 100 species of butterfly and moth larvae as well as more than 30 species of native bees (not all of which are found in Floyd County). The Wavy Lined Emerald (Synchlora aerata) is one of these and has really bizarre-looking larval stages, so please don’t crush these when you find them on your asters! Generally, if you want butterflies and moths, you’ll need to tolerate caterpillars munching your host plants 🙂
Human Uses
“Among Indigenous peoples of North America, it has been documented that the Cherokee have made a poultice of the roots for pain, an infusion of the roots for diarrhea, an infusion of the plant for fever, and have sniffed the ooze from the roots for catarrh. Both the Meskwaki and the Potawatomi have used the plant to revive people: the Meskwaki by smudging, and the Potawatomi through fumigation. The Iroquois have made a decoction of the plant for weak skin and of the roots and leaves for fevers. They have used the plant as a love medicine. Both the Mohawk people and the Iroquois have used an infusion of the whole plant in combination with rhizomes from another plant to treat mothers with intestinal fevers. The Chippewa have smoked the root in pipes to attract game.” (Wikipedia, 2023)
Obviously this was a plant that attracted a lot attention and gave back to the people in many ways.
http://vaplantatlas.org/index.php?do=plant&plant=2328&search=Search
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphyotrichum_novae-angliae
https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=syno2
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/symphyotrichum-novae-angliae/
https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=b540
https://www.gardenia.net/plant-variety/aster-novae-angliae-new-england-asters
https://www.prairiemoon.com/symphyotrichum-novae-angliae-new-england-aster
https://www.prairienursery.com/new-england-aster-aster-novae-angliae.html
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