Smooth Blue Aster (Symphyotrichum laeve)

Smooth Blue Aster (Symphyotrichum laeve)

Smooth Blue Aster is one of the most beautiful late-season natives, with its cool-toned  lavender/blue flowers and soft yellow centers lighting up the garden just as many summer blooms are fading. The stems are strong and upright, often with a touch of burgundy, and the smooth, bluish-green foliage stays clean and attractive all season, making this a favorite for both its structure and bloom. By fall, it can be covered in flowers, catching low-angled light and feeding the last waves of pollinators before winter.

In southeastern Wisconsin, this aster does well in full sun and average to dry soils, including clay and gravel. It’s tough, dependable, and long-lived once established. Unlike some asters that tend to flop or sprawl, Symphyotrichum laeve holds its form beautifully and blends well in both naturalistic meadows and more deliberate border plantings.

Growing Conditions
Light: Full sun
Soil: Dry to medium, well-drained soils; tolerant of clay and gravel
Height: 2–4 feet
Spread: 1.5–2.5 feet
Zones: 3–8
Bloom time: September through October

Wildlife Value
An essential late-season nectar source for native bees, butterflies, and beneficial flies. It also serves as a host plant for the Silvery Checkerspot butterfly, whose caterpillars feed on its foliage.  supports a wide range of specialist and generalist pollinators and provides shelter for overwintering insects. Songbirds like goldfinches feed on the seed heads in fall and winter.

Blooms Alongside:
Stiff Goldenrod (Oligoneuron rigidum), Showy Goldenrod (Solidago speciosa), Aromatic Aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium), New England Aster (