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Native Plant Society of Texas

Heath Aster

Symphyotrichum ericoides

Other common name(s):

White Prairie Aster

Family:

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

Central Great Plains, Chihuahuan Deserts, Cross Timbers, East Central Texas Plains, Edwards Plateau, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, High Plains, Southwestern Tablelands, Texas Blackland Prairies
Broken Red Plains, Limestone Plains, Red Prairie
Chihuahuan Basins and Playas, Chihuahuan Desert Grasslands, Chihuahuan Montane Woodlands, Low Mountains and Bajadas, Stockton Plateau
Carbonate Cross Timbers, Eastern Cross Timbers, Grand Prairie, Limestone Cut Plain, Western Cross Timbers
Bastrop Lost Pines, Floodplains and Low Terraces2, Northern Post Oak Savanna, Northern Prairie Outliers, San Antonio Prairie, Southern Post Oak Savanna
Balcones Canyonlands, Edwards Plateau Woodland, Llano Uplift, Semiarid Edwards Plateau
Northern Humid Gulf Coastal Prairies
Llano Estacado
Canadian/Cimarron Breaks, Caprock Canyons Badlands Breaks, Flat Tablelands and Valleys, Semiarid Canadian Breaks
Floodplains and Low Terraces1, Northern Blackland Prairie, Southern Blackland Prairie

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Herbaceous

Height

1
to
3
ft.

Spread

2
to
3
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Sand, Clay, Well Drained, Dry

Light Requirement

Sun, Part Shade

Water Requirement

Low, Medium

Native Habitat

Grassland, Woodland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

White, Pink, Yellow, Blue

Bloom Season

Fall

Seasonal Interest

Nectar, Pollen, Larval Host

Wildlife Benefit

Butterflies, Moths, Bees

Maintenance

Low maintenance. Drought tolerant once established. Insufficient sunlight can lead to poor growth and disease. Trim if it gets leggy. Works well in butterfly gardens, rock gardens, and cottage gardens. It’s also a good choice for erosion control in sloped areas. Spreads by rhizomes and will seed out readily. Propagation: seed, plant division.

Comments

Blooms July-November. Much-branched erect to reclining or arching plant. Leaves linear to narrowly lanceolate. Numerous white flower heads about 1/4″ wide on branchlets. The fruit is a cypsela: a dry, one-seeded fruit, usually topped by pappus. Larval host: Pearl Crescent Butterfly and Wavy-Lined Emerald Moth.

References

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Seed No Treatment Start seeds indoors four weeks before the last spring frost date. Fill biodegradable seed-starter cells three-quarters full with a potting medium that contains fertilizer. Place two seeds in each cell. Cover the seeds with one-eighth of an inch of soil. Place in a sunny location. Keep the soil evenly moist. When the seedlings have two sets of true leaves, thin them to one per cell. After the danger of frost passes, acclimate the seedlings to the outdoors for a few hours each day, increasing the time spent outside over about four days. Choose a sunny location. Prepare the garden soil by working it to a depth of eight to 12 inches to aerate it and make it crumbly. Space at intervals of 12 to 18 inches to allow for ample airflow and inhibit fungal growth. Set the biodegradable cells in the soil so the top of each cell is at ground level. Tamp the soil around the cells to hold them firmly in place. https://gardenerspath.com/plants/flowers/grow-heath-asters/#:~:text=By%20early%20summer%2C%20you%20can,the%20last%20spring%20frost%20date.
Seed No Treatment To direct sow seeds: Prepare the soil in a sunny prepared garden bed. Sow one to two seeds every 12 to 18 inches. Cover the seeds with one-eighth of an inch of soil. Maintain even moisture. When the second set of true leaves sprouts, thin to one seedling per interval https://gardenerspath.com/plants/flowers/grow-heath-asters/#:~:text=By%20early%20summer%2C%20you%20can,the%20last%20spring%20frost%20date.
Stem Cutting Place the stem in four inches of water. Change the water daily. When roots grow, transplant the rooted stem cutting into the garden per the instructions below. Another way to root a soft stem cutting is to dip the cut bare stem in rooting hormone powder and plant it in soil. Select a biodegradable six-inch seed starter pot. Fill it three-quarters full of potting soil that contains fertilizer. Bury the dipped stem two inches deep in the soil and tamp to secure it. Maintain even moisture. When you see new leaves, you’ll know the stem has rooted. Transplant it into prepared garden soil in a sunny location. You can settle the entire seed-starter pot into the soil with the top rim even with the soil surface. Tamp the soil firmly around it. In late spring to early summer, cut about six inches from the growing tip of a fresh, soft stem. Remove the leaves from the bottom four inches of the stem. https://gardenerspath.com/plants/flowers/grow-heath-asters/#:~:text=By%20early%20summer%2C%20you%20can,the%20last%20spring%20frost%20date.
Clump division Division Another way to begin is with a mature plant that needs dividing. https://gardenerspath.com/plants/flowers/grow-heath-asters/#:~:text=By%20early%20summer%2C%20you%20can,the%20last%20spring%20frost%20date.

Heath Aster

Symphyotrichum ericoides

Other names:

White Prairie Aster

Family:

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

Characteristics
Growth Form:
Herbaceous
Height:
1
to
3
ft.
Spread:
2
to
3
ft.
Leaf Retention:
Deciduous
Lifespan:
Perennial
Soil:
Sand, Clay, Well Drained, Dry
Light:
Sun, Part Shade
Water:
Low, Medium
Native Habitat:
Grassland, Woodland
Photo Credit: Claire Sorenson
Photo Credit: Claire Sorenson
Photo Credit: Claire Sorenson
Central Great Plains, Chihuahuan Deserts, Cross Timbers, East Central Texas Plains, Edwards Plateau, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, High Plains, Southwestern Tablelands, Texas Blackland Prairies
Broken Red Plains, Limestone Plains, Red Prairie
Chihuahuan Basins and Playas, Chihuahuan Desert Grasslands, Chihuahuan Montane Woodlands, Low Mountains and Bajadas, Stockton Plateau
Carbonate Cross Timbers, Eastern Cross Timbers, Grand Prairie, Limestone Cut Plain, Western Cross Timbers
Bastrop Lost Pines, Floodplains and Low Terraces2, Northern Post Oak Savanna, Northern Prairie Outliers, San Antonio Prairie, Southern Post Oak Savanna
Balcones Canyonlands, Edwards Plateau Woodland, Llano Uplift, Semiarid Edwards Plateau
Northern Humid Gulf Coastal Prairies
Llano Estacado
Canadian/Cimarron Breaks, Caprock Canyons Badlands Breaks, Flat Tablelands and Valleys, Semiarid Canadian Breaks
Floodplains and Low Terraces1, Northern Blackland Prairie, Southern Blackland Prairie
Color:
White, Pink, Yellow, Blue
Season:
Fall
Seasonal Interest:
Nectar, Pollen, Larval Host
Wildlife Benefit:
Butterflies, Moths, Bees
Low maintenance. Drought tolerant once established. Insufficient sunlight can lead to poor growth and disease. Trim if it gets leggy. Works well in butterfly gardens, rock gardens, and cottage gardens. It’s also a good choice for erosion control in sloped areas. Spreads by rhizomes and will seed out readily. Propagation: seed, plant division.
Blooms July-November. Much-branched erect to reclining or arching plant. Leaves linear to narrowly lanceolate. Numerous white flower heads about 1/4″ wide on branchlets. The fruit is a cypsela: a dry, one-seeded fruit, usually topped by pappus. Larval host: Pearl Crescent Butterfly and Wavy-Lined Emerald Moth.

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Seed No Treatment Start seeds indoors four weeks before the last spring frost date. Fill biodegradable seed-starter cells three-quarters full with a potting medium that contains fertilizer. Place two seeds in each cell. Cover the seeds with one-eighth of an inch of soil. Place in a sunny location. Keep the soil evenly moist. When the seedlings have two sets of true leaves, thin them to one per cell. After the danger of frost passes, acclimate the seedlings to the outdoors for a few hours each day, increasing the time spent outside over about four days. Choose a sunny location. Prepare the garden soil by working it to a depth of eight to 12 inches to aerate it and make it crumbly. Space at intervals of 12 to 18 inches to allow for ample airflow and inhibit fungal growth. Set the biodegradable cells in the soil so the top of each cell is at ground level. Tamp the soil around the cells to hold them firmly in place. https://gardenerspath.com/plants/flowers/grow-heath-asters/#:~:text=By%20early%20summer%2C%20you%20can,the%20last%20spring%20frost%20date.
Seed No Treatment To direct sow seeds: Prepare the soil in a sunny prepared garden bed. Sow one to two seeds every 12 to 18 inches. Cover the seeds with one-eighth of an inch of soil. Maintain even moisture. When the second set of true leaves sprouts, thin to one seedling per interval https://gardenerspath.com/plants/flowers/grow-heath-asters/#:~:text=By%20early%20summer%2C%20you%20can,the%20last%20spring%20frost%20date.
Stem Cutting Place the stem in four inches of water. Change the water daily. When roots grow, transplant the rooted stem cutting into the garden per the instructions below. Another way to root a soft stem cutting is to dip the cut bare stem in rooting hormone powder and plant it in soil. Select a biodegradable six-inch seed starter pot. Fill it three-quarters full of potting soil that contains fertilizer. Bury the dipped stem two inches deep in the soil and tamp to secure it. Maintain even moisture. When you see new leaves, you’ll know the stem has rooted. Transplant it into prepared garden soil in a sunny location. You can settle the entire seed-starter pot into the soil with the top rim even with the soil surface. Tamp the soil firmly around it. In late spring to early summer, cut about six inches from the growing tip of a fresh, soft stem. Remove the leaves from the bottom four inches of the stem. https://gardenerspath.com/plants/flowers/grow-heath-asters/#:~:text=By%20early%20summer%2C%20you%20can,the%20last%20spring%20frost%20date.
Clump division Division Another way to begin is with a mature plant that needs dividing. https://gardenerspath.com/plants/flowers/grow-heath-asters/#:~:text=By%20early%20summer%2C%20you%20can,the%20last%20spring%20frost%20date.

About the Region

Fall Symposium 2025 Logo - Teach for the Future

Salado, the location of our Fall 2025 Symposium, lies at the intersection of two ecoregions: the Edwards Plateau (Limestone Cut Plain) and Blackland Prairie (Northern Blackland Prairie).

The Edwards Plateau area is also called the Hill Country; however, this general term covers a much larger area extending farther north. Spring-fed creeks are found throughout the region; deep limestone canyons, rivers, and lakes (reservoirs) are common. Ashe juniper is perhaps the most common woody species found throughout the region. Additional woody species include various species of oak, with live oak (Quercus fusiformis) being the most common. Sycamores (Platanus occidentalis) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) border waterways. This area is well known for its spring wildflower displays, though they may be viewed in spring, late summer, and fall, as well. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, average annual rainfall in the Edwards Plateau ranges from 15 to 34 inches.

The Blackland Prairie extends from the Red River south to San Antonio, bordered on the west by the Edwards Plateau and the Cross Timbers, and on the east by the Post Oak Savannah. Annual rainfall averages 30 to 40 inches, with higher averages to the east. This region is dominated by prairie species. The most common grass species include little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) in the uplands and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the riparian areas and drainages. Common herbaceous flowering plants include salvias, penstemons, and silphiums. This area has suffered greatly from overgrazing and agricultural use. Few intact areas remain, though many of the plants can be found along county roadsides throughout the region.

Our four host chapters (New Braunfels, Lindheimer, Guadalupe, and the Hill Country chapters) are located in one or both of the ecoregions above. However, the eastern portion of Guadalupe County also falls within the Post Oak Savanna ecoregion. Annual rainfall averages 35 to 45 inches, with higher averages to the east. A wide variety of hardwood trees are found, including several species of oaks, elms, and in the Bastrop area, loblolly pine (Pinus taeda). Grasses and forbs dominate in the open savannas, with most common grass being little bluestem. Ranching, agriculture, and fire suppression have allowed woody species to encroach on the once-open savannas.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason