Bigleaf Aster

Go to Midwest Weeds and Wildflowers Home Page

Bigleaf Aster

Eurybia macrophylla (L.) Cass.

(formerly Aster macrophyllus L.)

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

▲ large, heart-shaped basal leaves

▲ mature flowering plant

▲▼ flower head inflorescences

Eurybia macrophylla (L.) Cass., Bigleaf Aster (formerly Aster macrophyllus L.): (Bayer Code: not known; US Code EUMA27)

· Native, creeping perennial wildflower with rhizomes, that can produce flowering stems 0.5 to 3 feet tall

· Early season growth is a 6-12 inch diameter rosette of large, elongated, heart-shaped leaves with toothed margins and long petioles; leaves are usually hairless above and have hairs along the veins underneath

· During flowering season, a flowering stem elongates with widely-spaced smaller, lanceolate leaves with shorter petioles; flowering stems can be green to purplish-green

· Head inflorescences are rounded to flat-topped panicles at the tip of stems; individual heads are 0.5 to 1.5 inch diameter, with 8-20 white to pale purple ray flowers (“petals”) and 20-40 pale yellow disk flowers that become reddish-purple as they mature

· Bracts below inflorescence are in several overlapping rows, green with purplish tip and a raised/mounded midrib

· Flowers from late summer to early fall

· Prefers open to dense woods, moist to moderately dry, fertile soils

· Asters are great butterfly-magnets for late season

· Easy to identify this aster by its large basal leaves; most other asters have oval to lanceolate leaves

Go to Midwest Weeds and Wildflowers Home Page