Join / Renew / Gift Donate Shop Member Portal Language

Search
npsot_bluebonnet_full_color

Native Plant Society of Texas

Late Purple Aster

Symphyotrichum patens

Other common name(s):

Spreading Aster, Late Blooming Aster, Late Purple American-Aster, Clasping Aster

Family:

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

This map uses data from the US EPA. EPA  servers have been offline frequently so maps may not display. We are working on a solution.

Cross Timbers, East Central Texas Plains, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, Texas Blackland Prairies, Western Gulf Coastal Plain
Broken Red Plains
Carbonate Cross Timbers, Eastern Cross Timbers, Grand Prairie, 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
Flatwoods, Floodplains and Low Terraces3, Pleistocene Fluvial Terraces, Red River Bottomlands, Southern Tertiary Uplands, Tertiary Uplands

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Herbaceous

Height

2
to
4
ft.

Spread

2
to
3
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Sand, Loam, Clay, Well Drained, Moist, Dry, Saline

Light Requirement

Sun, Part Shade

Water Requirement

Low, Medium

Native Habitat

Grassland, Woodland, Variable

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Purple

Bloom Season

Summer, Fall

Seasonal Interest

Nectar, Pollen

Wildlife Benefit

Butterflies, Bees

Maintenance

Easy to grow. Good in rock gardens. No serious insect problems, but good air circulation helps reduce incidence of foliar diseases. Prefers the eastern half of Texas. Similar to S. oblongifolium that grows more in the western half of Texas. Propagation: seed.

Comments

Blooms August-December. An upright plant that typically grows on slender, hairy stems. Oval to oblong leaves are rough-textured, hairy, and clasp the stems. Flowers are 1 inch daisy-like asters, with blue to violet rays and yellow centers. Flowers appear singly at the end of stems. The fruit is a cypsela: a dry, one-seeded fruit, usually topped by pappus.

References

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Stem Cutting Remove the leaves from the lower half of the cutting to prevent rot and dip the cut end into rooting hormone to enhance root growth. Insert into a pot filled with moist, well-draining potting mix. Make sure at least two leaf nodes are buried in the soil. Cover the pot with plastic to retain humidity and place it in indirect light. Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. The best time to propagate late purple aster is during early spring through mid-summer, using stem cuttings. Choose a healthy, non-flowering stem from late purple aster that is about 4-6 inches long. Make sure the stem has several sets of leaves. Cut the stem Using your prepared tools, cut the selected stem at a 45-degree angle just below a leaf node. https://www.picturethisai.com/care/propagate/Symphyotrichum_patens.html#
Clump division Division Replant these divisions at the same depth they were originally growing to foster healthy new growth. Carefully separate the root clumps in the dormant period, ensuring each new section has ample roots. https://www.picturethisai.com/care/propagate/Symphyotrichum_patens.html#
Seed No Treatment To sprout seeds indoors, begin four weeks before your region’s last average spring frost date. Keep the soil moist but not soggy. Provide ample sunlight. Once the frost danger passes, set the seedlings outdoors in a sheltered area for a few hours each day for about four days, increasing the amount of time spent out each day. To direct sow seeds, wait until the danger of frost passes and prepare the soil the garden soil by working it to a depth of 8 to 12 inches until it is crumbly. Sow one to two seeds every 8 to 36 inches. When the seedlings have two sets of true leaves, thin them to one seedling per interval. Knowing when to harvest is easy. You’ll see them starting to dry out as the first frost date approaches. The first method is to cut entire stalks bearing clusters of blossoms. The fresh ones continue to dry on the harvested stalks. The second is to collect individual flower heads by holding a paper grocery bag beneath a plant with one hand, and snipping off individual dry flower heads with the other. Or rub the dry heads between thumb and fingers until they loosen and fall in. For harvested stalks, simply bind them together with twine, like bouquets, and suspend them upside-down. For snipped flower heads and crumbled heads, lay out newspaper and spread the contents of your bag(s) over it in a single layer. Allow to dry for about a week. Then Rub the seed heads between your thumbs and fingers, removing as much debris as possible as you go along. Gently blow across the paper to remove remaining fluff. Store in airtight containers in a cool, dry location until ready to use. https://gardenerspath.com/plants/flowers/save-aster-seeds/

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 fall Symposium host chapter, the Tonkawa Chapter, includes both of these ecoregions.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason