Dragon Baby™ Hydrangea vs Smooth Aster - TreeTime.ca

Dragon Baby™ Hydrangea vs Smooth Aster

Hydrangea paniculata HYLV17522

Symphyotrichum laeve

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Dragon Baby™ Hydrangea
Smooth Aster

Dragon Baby™ Hydrangea is a dwarf panicle hydrangea with flowers that start as lime green and transition to a rich pink towards the fall. During the summer the leaves are a deep green and turn a golden yellow with a red to purple tint. Persistent blooms and fall colors add multi season interest to your landscape. The petite form is well suited for urban yards and tight spaces.

Flowers grow on new wood so pruning is best done in late winter or early spring. The Dragon Baby Hydrangea is part of the Bloomin’ Easy® collection.

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.

Dragon Baby™ Hydrangea Quick Facts

Smooth Aster Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 3a
Height: 0.8 m (2.5 ft)
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 0.8 m (2.5 ft)
Spread: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: very fast
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Suckering: none
Suckering: none


Flowers: starts green and transitions to pink
Flowers: purplish-blue; daisy-like
Bloom time: late summer to early fall
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON
Other Names: dragon baby hardy hydrangea, dragon baby panicle hydrangea
Other Names: glaucous aster, smooth blue aster