Grows best in full sun to part shade and medium to wet soils. 3’- 4’ tall, flat-ish flower clusters, white petals with yellow centers, bloom summer to fall. The tall stems have a tendency to lean or bend when in flower. It is one of the earliest asters to bloom. It spreads by both rhizome and seed, ideal for naturalizing in fields or woodland edges, not ideal for small gardens. Other common names include flat-topped aster.

“A wide variety of pollinators are attracted to the nectar and pollen of the flowers. These species include long- and short-tongued bees, wasps, flies, beetles and butterflies. But, larger animals, like swamp sparrows, wild turkey, white-tailed deer and cottontail rabbits, also enjoy the foliage of the plant so keep it caged in the early years of establishment.”

- Prairie Moon Nursery

I love tall white aster because it was one of the first native plants I successfully grew from seed. It is so easily identifiable by the arrangement of its flowers and there is just something quite dainty and beautiful about those flowers. Plus asters are a food source to so much wildlife and I love providing habitat and sustenance to all our insects, birds and other wildlife.