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Native Plant Society of Texas

Lanceleaf Aster

Symphyotrichum lanceolatum

Other common name(s):

Whitepanicle Aster, Panicled Aster, White Panicle Aster

Family:

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

Chihuahuan Deserts, Cross Timbers, East Central Texas Plains, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, Texas Blackland Prairies
Chihuahuan Basins and Playas
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
Northern Humid Gulf Coastal Prairies
Floodplains and Low Terraces1, Northern Blackland Prairie, Southern Blackland Prairie

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Herbaceous

Height

4
to
6
ft.

Spread

3
to
4
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Sand, Loam, Clay, Well Drained, Moist

Light Requirement

Sun, Part Shade

Water Requirement

Medium, High

Native Habitat

Grassland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

White, Pink, Blue, Violet

Bloom Season

Summer, Fall

Seasonal Interest

Nectar, Pollen

Wildlife Benefit

Beetles, Butterflies, Moths, Bees

Maintenance

Grows in a variety of soils. Low maintenance. It spreads easily by rhizomes, so give lots of space or pull sprouts to fit the space. Best grown in moist prairies, meadows, and butterfly gardens. Can be grown in containers. Great for attracting late season pollinators. Propagation: seed, division, cutting.

Comments

Blooms July-October. Produces multiple branches covered in sprays of tiny, star-like flowers. The stems bear narrow, lance-shaped leaves, with toothed margins. They decrease in size as they go up the stem. Each blossom produces 20-40 white ray flowers surrounding pale yellow disc flowers. The disc flowers turn from yellow to reddish with age. The flowers are followed by a dry seed called a cypsela, attached to filaments that carry it on the wind.
Previous Scientific Name(s): Aster lanceolatus

References

Lanceleaf Aster

Symphyotrichum lanceolatum

Other names:

Whitepanicle Aster, Panicled Aster, White Panicle Aster

Family:

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

Characteristics
Growth Form:
Herbaceous
Height:
4
to
6
ft.
Spread:
3
to
4
ft.
Leaf Retention:
Deciduous
Lifespan:
Perennial
Soil:
Sand, Loam, Clay, Well Drained, Moist
Light:
Sun, Part Shade
Water:
Medium, High
Native Habitat:
Grassland
Photo Credit: Michael Eason
Photo Credit: Reveal, James L., https://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=74418
Photo Credit: Robin R. Buckallew, https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/ImageLibrary/large/syla6_003_lhp.jpg
Chihuahuan Deserts, Cross Timbers, East Central Texas Plains, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, Texas Blackland Prairies
Chihuahuan Basins and Playas
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
Northern Humid Gulf Coastal Prairies
Floodplains and Low Terraces1, Northern Blackland Prairie, Southern Blackland Prairie
Color:
White, Pink, Blue, Violet
Season:
Summer, Fall
Seasonal Interest:
Nectar, Pollen
Wildlife Benefit:
Beetles, Butterflies, Moths, Bees
Grows in a variety of soils. Low maintenance. It spreads easily by rhizomes, so give lots of space or pull sprouts to fit the space. Best grown in moist prairies, meadows, and butterfly gardens. Can be grown in containers. Great for attracting late season pollinators. Propagation: seed, division, cutting.
Blooms July-October. Produces multiple branches covered in sprays of tiny, star-like flowers. The stems bear narrow, lance-shaped leaves, with toothed margins. They decrease in size as they go up the stem. Each blossom produces 20-40 white ray flowers surrounding pale yellow disc flowers. The disc flowers turn from yellow to reddish with age. The flowers are followed by a dry seed called a cypsela, attached to filaments that carry it on the wind.
Previous Scientific Name(s): Aster lanceolatus

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