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Symphyotrichum drummondii var. drummondii

Symphyotrichum drummondii (Lindl.) G.L. Nesom var. drummondii

Drummond's Aster, Arrow Aster

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

Synonym(s): Aster drummondii, Aster sagittifolius var. drummondii

USDA Symbol: SYDRD

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

Numerous narrow, arrowhead-shaped leaves occur on the 2-4 ft. stems of this aster. The flowers bear pale blue, lavender or white rays.

The species and variety name of this plant is named for Thomas Drummond, (ca. 1790-1835), naturalist, born in Scotland, around 1790. In 1830 he made a trip to America to collect specimens from the western and southern United States. In March, 1833, he arrived at Velasco, Texas to begin his collecting work in that area. He spent twenty-one months working the area between Galveston Island and the Edwards Plateau, especially along the Brazos, Colorado, and Guadalupe rivers. His collections were the first made in Texas that were extensively distributed among the museums and scientific institutions of the world. He collected 750 species of plants and 150 specimens of birds. Drummond had hoped to make a complete botanical survey of Texas, but he died in Havana, Cuba, in 1835, while making a collecting tour of that island.

 

From the Image Gallery

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Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Size Notes: Up to about 4 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 , Blue , Purple , Violet
Bloom Time: Aug , Sep , Oct

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MD , MI , MN , MO , MS , NE , OH , OK , PA , TN , WI , WV
Native Distribution: S.w. VT & w. PA to ND & n.e. SD, s. to GA & LA
Native Habitat: Woodlands; thicket edges; open, rocky sites

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry
Soil Description: Rocky soils

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees

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

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

NPSOT - Austin Chapter - Austin, TX
Mt. Cuba Center - Hockessin, DE

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.

Additional resources

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

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-01-19
Research By: TWC Staff

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