Aster oblongifolius, or Fall Aster — also called the Hill Country Aster – is a well-behaved perennial native plant that is surprisingly easy to grow. It is hardy all the way from our Zone 8 (referring to the USDA Hardiness Zone map), which can get down to 10-15 degrees in the winter – up to Zone 4, which, in our Texas panhandle, goes down to minus 5 degrees Fahrenheit. So it has no trouble at all with our winters here in Texas. And in fact, this plant is happy over most of the Northeastern & central U.S.
Almost evergreen, the fall aster produces fragrant purple daisy-like flowers with yellow centers. It is one of the last plants to bloom before freezing temperatures begin, September through November. Its flowers and stems release a balsam-like fragrance when crushed. It can reach a height of 1-3 feet tall, but usually grows only 1 foot tall.
Asters perform best with at least 4 hours of sun. It doesn’t matter if it’s morning or afternoon sun; asters are very adaptable. This wildflower works well as a ground cover for dry, sunny areas and grows well with native grasses. It is perfect in the rocky limestone or shale soils in the Hill Country, preferring well-drained soil with very little water once established. It
spreads by stolons, so you can start with just a few plants and watch them creep to fill a bed within a few years. Or, seeds can be collected in the late fall, dried in a paper bag for a couple of weeks, and planted thickly in spring, after the last frost. Seedlings must be thinned after sprouting to allow space for the plant to grow. After they are established, they need an annual
trimming in early summer (up to one-half their height in May or June) to prevent top-heaviness and to cause the plant to produce more flowers. Deadhead as the blooms fade for a continuous long bloom period.
Fall aster may also be grown in large containers. And as with most of our native, low-water-use plants, fertilization is really not necessary. Though not deer resistant, this native perennial is a long-blooming and well-behaved pleasure in a protected flower garden. Plant some now to keep the color going and to provide a late-season treat for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.
