Heart-leaf Aster

Heart-leaf aster typically grows to heights of 90 cm but in moister settings can grow up to 1.50 m. Many light blue flowers bloom for a long time during September and October and provide for visual late season excitement in a garden. The flowers are particularly beautiful since the gold coloured centers become purple once pollinated. Great paired with any kind of yellow flowering goldenrod.

Ecology:
Important late season nectar and pollen for butterflies and bees. Next year's bumblebee queens fatten up on its nectar to survive hibernation. The leaves serve as host plant for the caterpillars of the silvery checkerspot, pearl cresecent, northern crescent and tawny crescent butterflies and many moths species. Its pollen allows a huge variety of pollen specialist bees to reproduce. They are in the family of cellophane bees, long horned bees, mining bees among others. The seeds are an abundant food source for birds throughout the winter.

Growing conditions:
Heart-leaf aster is a very hardy plant that grows best in medium to dry soil in part sade, but will also grow in full shade and full sun.