previous
  • Indeterminate or Determinate Tomatoes?
    Indeterminate or Determinate Tomatoes?
  • In Pursuit of the Perfect Potting Shed
    In Pursuit of the Perfect Potting Shed
  • Dwarf Citrus Trees
    Dwarf Citrus Trees
  • Lawn Alternatives
    Lawn Alternatives
  • Stylish Shady Containers
    Stylish Shady Containers
  • Plants that Spark!
    Plants that Spark!
  • Slideshow: Beautiful Clematis
    Slideshow: Beautiful Clematis
  • Designing with Curved Terraces
    Designing with Curved Terraces
  • Garden Confidential: A Plant Walks into a Bar
    Garden Confidential: A Plant Walks into a Bar
  • Fast-Growing Trees for Impatient Gardeners
    Fast-Growing Trees for Impatient Gardeners
  • Colorful Selections for Shade
    Colorful Selections for Shade
  • Homegrown / Homemade
    Homegrown / Homemade
  • 6 Tips for Weed Control
    6 Tips for Weed Control
  • Mulch for a Healthy Garden
    Mulch for a Healthy Garden
  • Plant an Easy-to-Water Strawberry Jar
    Plant an Easy-to-Water Strawberry Jar
  • Make a Succulent Topiary
    Make a Succulent Topiary
  • Thoughts From a Foreign Field
    Thoughts From a Foreign Field
  • Fragrant Plants for Pathways
    Fragrant Plants for Pathways
  • Pretty in Pink
    Pretty in Pink
  • Comfortable Alfresco Dining
    Comfortable Alfresco Dining
  • Building a Compost Bin
    Building a Compost Bin
  • Elephant's Ears
    Elephant's Ears
  • Containers as Focal Points
    Containers as Focal Points
  • NEW Video Series: There's a Better Way
    NEW Video Series: There's a Better Way
  • Save Money by Growing Your Own
    Save Money by Growing Your Own
next
Find a plant:

OR Browse All Plants


Aster macrophyllus (Bigleaf aster)

Aster macrophyllus Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Bluestone Perennials


Be the first to rate this plant

Plant Showcase - from our advertisers


Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Botanical Name: Aster macrophyllus Common Name: Bigleaf aster Genus: Aster
This striking, richly-textured, deciduous ground cover has heart-shaped leaves that turn mauve in autumn. Purple, blue, or white flowers appear in late summer to early fall.
 Noteworthy characteristics: Native to eastern North America. Attracts butterflies.
 Care: Do not overwater. Grow in light to full shade.
 Propagation: Rootball division.
 Problems: Asters are sometimes plagued by fungal diseases. The most common are wilt disease, powdery mildew, and botrytis. May be affected by Verticillium wilt, gray mold, powdery mildew, rusts, white smut, aster yellows, stem cankers. Prone to rosy blister gall, aphids, tarsonemid mites, slugs, snails, and nematodes.
Height 1 ft. to 3 ft.
Spread 1 ft. to 3 ft.
Growth Habit Clumps
Light Part Shade to Full Shade
Moisture Medium Moisture
Characteristics Attracts Butterflies; Native; Showy Flowers
Bloom Time Early Fall; Fall; Late Summer; Summer
Flower Color Blue Flower; Purple/ Lavender Flower; White Flower
Uses Beds and Borders, Ground Covers, Cut Flower
Style Cottage Garden
Seasonal Interest Summer Interest, Fall Interest
Type Perennials

Plants you might also like

Salvia pratensis Salvia pratensis
(Meadow clary) Be the first to rate this plant
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This woody-stemmed perennial produces sticky spikes of deep violet or, rarely, white to pink flowers. It blooms from early summer to autumn; reblooming is most reliable if spent flowers are deadheaded promptly. It has wrinkled leaves and forms an upright clump 3 feet tall by 1 foot wide. This salvia is most noted for its many hybirds with S. nemerosa.  
Echinacea purpurea ‘Bright Star’ Echinacea purpurea ‘Bright Star’
(Purple coneflower) Be the first to rate this plant
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This native meadow derivative with daisy-like flowers blooms from early summer into early autumn. 'Bright Star' has prominent, copper-orange central cones surrounded by red-purple ray petals (to 5 inches across), and grows to less than 3 feet tall.
Echinacea purpurea 'Kim's Knee High' Echinacea purpurea 'Kim's Knee High'
(Purple coneflower) (3 user reviews)
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This native meadow derivative is a compact version of the species. It blooms from midsummer into early autumn, with prominent, copper-orange central cones surrounded by drooping, rose- or purple-pink ray petals. It will reach 24 inches if not cut back.
Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’
(Stonecrop) (13 user reviews)
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This plant is as dependable and adaptable as they come. Its flowers bloom from August into November; they open pink and mature to a copper befitting of autumn. It is 2 feet tall and wide, with succulent stems and leaves. 'Autumn Joy' looks great with ornamental grasses.  
Echinacea purpurea ‘White Swan' Echinacea purpurea ‘White Swan'
(White coneflower) (2 user reviews)
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This cultivar of a native meadow coneflower has white, daisy-like flowers from early summer into early autumn. Its prominent, coppery-green, central cones are surrounded by large white ray petals that reach 4.5 inches long.