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Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

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Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

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Saturday - April 16, 2005

From: Denver, CO
Region: Rocky Mountain
Topic: Wildflowers
Title: Asters bloom period
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

When do the asters bloom?

ANSWER:

For the aster family, Family Asteraceae, (which has flowers with the common names of asters, daisies, and sunflowers) you can find some members of its family blooming at any time of the year. Within the Family Asteraceae there are many different flowers that are called by the common name "aster". In general, those different "asters" tend to bloom in the summer and fall. For instance, the fall aster fall aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium) blooms, as its common name implies, in the fall. The Engelmann's aster (Eucephalus engelmannii) blooms in the summer.

If you know the scientific or common name of the particular aster you are interested in, you can go to the Native Plants Database to search for it and learn when it blooms, its other characteristics, distribution, and more.
 

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