Echinacea vs Smooth Aster - TreeTime.ca

Echinacea vs Smooth Aster

Echinacea angustifolia

Symphyotrichum laeve

CUSTOM GROW

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

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Smooth Aster

Echinacea is a unique flowering plant. The tall stalks topped with badminton-birdie-like flowers make this plant a distinctive addition to any garden or yard.

Echinacea this drought tolerant and will attract bees, butterflies, birds and other wildlife.

Smooth Aster is a native perennial wildflower known for its violet-blue, daisy-like flowers. They bloom later in the season, from late summer to early fall. The flowers attract a variety of pollinators, including bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. It also serves as a host plant for the Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis) and Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos) butterflies, further enhancing its ecological value. This easy-to-grow wildflower is well suited for native wildflower gardens, pollinator gardens, and naturalization projects.

The Smooth Aster’s non-aggressive root system allows it to spread slowly, and it is more likely to reproduce by seed, which can be controlled through deadheading. As a perennial, it dies back to the crown each winter, it will regrow from the base in the spring. Avoid disturbing the crown during late winter to ensure healthy growth the following season.

Echinacea Quick Facts

Smooth Aster Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 3a
Height: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: very fast
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Suckering: none
Suckering: none


Flowers: purple flowers
Flowers: purplish-blue; daisy-like
Bloom time: late summer to early fall
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Other Names: glaucous aster, smooth blue aster