October Skies Aromatic Aster

Aster oblongifolium 'October Skies'

October Skies Aromatic Aster is a compact native  perennial with stiff hairy blue-green lance like foliage.  Clusters of small sky blue flowers with yellow centers bloom from late summer into fall, and becomes a darker blue in October.  Grows best in  full sun and dry to medium well-drained soils.  

Aster oblongifolium is a host of the Silvery Checkerspot Butterflies and of several moths.

MAINTENANCE NEEDS:  Low Maintenance Plant. Susceptible to powdery mildew if in poorly-drained soil.  Cut stalks after flowering to prevent self-seeding.

LANDSCAPE USES: Accents or Group Plantings,  Borders,  Woodland Gardens,  Wildlife Gardens,  Naturalized Areas, and Containers.

COMPANION PLANTS:  Salvia,  Dianthus,  Phlox

IMAGES: Photos by  Andrey Zharkikh, (1)  Symphyotrichum oblongifolium 'October Skies' syn. Aster oblongifolius), (2)  2014.09.18_18.31.51_DSCN1916, (3)  2014.09.18_18.31.02_DSCN1913, (4)  Ulimw,  Symphyotrichum oblongifolium october skies aster oblongifolius Ulimw 2020,  CC BY-SA 4.0, (5)  Quadell,  October Skies Aster aster oblongifolius 1,  CC BY 3.0

*As plants have ranges in appearance they may not appear as the images shown.