Field of Science

Friday Fabulous Flower - Smooth blue Aster


Mrs. Phactor has done pretty well at getting more fall color into her perennial flower beds. Growing together in the center of one bed are two "blue asters" that are easy to confuse with each other. This species is taller and has larger flowering heads, Aster laevis, the smooth blue aster. Is the aster smooth and blue, or is smooth blue a particular hue?  The former it would seem as the leaves and stems are hairless and sort of a bluish green.  In a mass the flower heads, only about 1" in diameter, are quite handsome. Growing to over 1 m tall, they tend to be rather floppy, but maybe they would be better if grown among other flowers and grasses of similar stature.  Missed Friday last week completely so this is late not early.

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