Sky-Blue Aster (Symphyotrichum oolentangiense)
Such a pretty late bloomer that the native bees love. It attracts many native bees, butterflies, and moths along with many other insects. It is the host plant to the Pearl Crescent and 43 other species of butterflies and moths in our area (illnoiswildflower.info). Sky-Blue Aster also has 36 specialist bees that depend on it (illnoiswildflower.info) (Holm, 2017) (Johnson and Colla, 2023)!
Photo credit: (1)Joshua Mayer, (2) John Blair
Such a pretty late bloomer that the native bees love. It attracts many native bees, butterflies, and moths along with many other insects. It is the host plant to the Pearl Crescent and 43 other species of butterflies and moths in our area (illnoiswildflower.info). Sky-Blue Aster also has 36 specialist bees that depend on it (illnoiswildflower.info) (Holm, 2017) (Johnson and Colla, 2023)!
Photo credit: (1)Joshua Mayer, (2) John Blair
Such a pretty late bloomer that the native bees love. It attracts many native bees, butterflies, and moths along with many other insects. It is the host plant to the Pearl Crescent and 43 other species of butterflies and moths in our area (illnoiswildflower.info). Sky-Blue Aster also has 36 specialist bees that depend on it (illnoiswildflower.info) (Holm, 2017) (Johnson and Colla, 2023)!
Photo credit: (1)Joshua Mayer, (2) John Blair
Life Cycle: Perennial
Sun Exposure: Full, Partial
Soil Moisture: Medium, Medium-Dry
Height: 3 feet
Plant Spacing: 1-2 feet
Bloom Time: August-October
Bloom Color: Violet-blue
Advantages: Pollinator Favorite, Bird Favorite, Caterpillar Favorite, Great Landscape Plant
Host Plant: Pearl Crescent and 43 other species of butterflies and moths in our area (illnoiswildflower.info)
Specialist Bee: Andrena asteris, A. aliciae, A. simplex, A. asteroides, A. canadensis, A. chromotricha, A. hirticincta, A nubecula, A. placata, A. simplex, Calliopsis coloradensis, Colletes americanus, C. compactus, C. rufocinctus, C. simulans, C. speculiferus, Melissodes dentiventris, M. boltoniae, M. confuses, M. coreopsis, M. dentiventris, M. druriellus, M. illatus, M. lustrus, M. menuachus, M. microstictus, M. niveus, M. semilupinus, M. subagilis, M. subillatus, M. tinctus, M. trinodis, Perdita octomaculata, P. albipinnis, Pseudopanurgus aestivalis, P. andrenoides, P. compositarum, Megachile inimical, Anthophorula asteris, and Dianthidium simile (Holm, 2017) (Johnson and Colla, 2023)
Complementary Plants: Goldenrods Heath Aster, Little Bluestem
Resource: Holm, Heather. Bees: An Identification and Native Plant Forage Guide. Pollination Press LLC, 2017
Resource: Johnson, Lorraine, and Sheila Colla. A Northern Gardener’s Guide to Native Plants and Pollinators: Creating Habitat in the Northeast, Great Lakes, and Upper Midwest. Island Press, 2023
