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Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

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Symphyotrichum racemosum

Symphyotrichum racemosum (Elliott) G.L. Nesom

Smooth White Oldfield Aster, Small-flower White Aster

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

Synonym(s): Aster brachypholis, Aster fragilis, Aster fragilis var. brachypholis, Aster fragilis var. subdumosus, Aster racemosus, Aster vimineus, Aster vimineus var. subdumosus, Symphyotrichum racemosum var. subdumosum

USDA Symbol: SYRA5

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (I)

Numerous flower heads with white rays surrounding a yellowish to pinkish central disc; heads mostly clustered along one side of widely diverging branches on a smooth, slender, purple-tinged stem.

The many small-flowered asters found in eastern North America are often difficult to distinguish from one another, as are many of the large-flowered species.

 

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Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Size Notes: Up to about 3 feet tall.
Fruit: Fruit is a cypsela (pl. cypselae). Though technically incorrect, the fruit is often referred to as an achene.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Pink , Yellow
Bloom Time: Aug , Sep , Oct

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , CT , DC , FL , GA , IL , IN , KY , LA , MD , ME , MO , MS , NC , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , TN , TX , VA , VT , WV
Canada: NB
Native Distribution: Quebec and New Brunswick south to Florida, west to Texas, and northeast to Missouri, Illinois, and Ohio.
Native Habitat: Dry to moist fields, meadows, forests, and shorelines.

Benefit

Attracts: Butterflies

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:AGCPAKAWCBEMPGPHIMWNCNEWMVE
Status: FACW FACW FACW FACW FACW
This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Symphyotrichum racemosum in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Symphyotrichum racemosum in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Symphyotrichum racemosum

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-01-27
Research By: TWC Staff

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