Native Plants

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.

Enter a Plant Name:
Or you can choose a plant family:

Cressler, Alan

Ampelaster carolinianus

Ampelaster carolinianus (Walter) G.L. Nesom

Climbing Aster, Climbing-aster

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

Synonym(s): Aster carolinianus, Lasallea caroliniana, Virgulus carolinianus

USDA Symbol: AMCA14

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

A sparsely branched plant with a woody stem and branches. Climbs to 6-12 ft. or more, tangling on its own slender stems. Leaves are simple, alternate and narrowly oval. Lavender-pink, aster-like flowers are subtended by whitish-green bracts. They form at the ends of the many small branches and are large and numerous.

From the Image Gallery

9 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Vine
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Size Notes: Climber, stems up to about 12 feet long.
Fruit: Fruit is a cypsela (pl. cypselae). Though technically incorrect, the fruit is often referred to as an achene.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Pink , Purple
Bloom Time: Sep , Oct

Distribution

USA: FL , GA , NC , SC
Native Distribution: Coastal plain and piedmont from NC to FL
Native Habitat: Varies from swamps & wet shores to open, dry, sandy woods

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Wet
Soil Description: Wet to dry sands.

Propagation

Commercially Avail: yes

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:	OBL

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.

From the National Organizations Directory

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

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

Metadata

Record Modified: 2022-09-30
Research By: TWC Staff

Go back