SCIENTIFIC NAME: Symphyotrichum oolentangiense
COMMON NAME: Sky Blue Aster
BLOOM TIME: Aug, Sept, Oct
PLANT PROFILE:
- Rough hairy stem grow up to 3 ft. tall.
- Leaves are thick & feel like sandpaper on both sides.
- Flower heads have 10-25 blue petals in a ray pattern around a yellow disc.
- Preferred sites are prairies, woods & savannas.
INSECT/ANIMAL INTERACTIONS:
- Nectar & pollen of flowerheads attracts bumblebees, leaf-cutting bees, Halictid bees(sweat bees), Andrenid bees (mining bees), Syrphid flies (hover flies or flower flies), bee flies, butterflies, skippers, & miscellaneous beetles.
- Larvae of the butterflies Silvery Checkerspot and Pearl Crescent feed on asters.