{"product_id":"blue-wood-aster","title":"Blue Wood Aster","description":"\u003ch3 class=\"pd-title-head\"\u003e\n  \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003eSymphyotrichum cordifolium\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n  \u003cspan\u003e(previously known as \u003ci\u003eAster cordifolius\u003c\/i\u003e)\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eOverview\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUses:\u003c\/strong\u003e Woodland gardens and shaded borders, understory planting at the edge of trees, naturalized woodland-edge and meadow plantings, pollinator gardens, mass planting under high shade.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBenefits:\u003c\/strong\u003e One of the few asters that flowers well out of full sun, carrying clouds of small pale blue daisies on airy branched stems long after most perennials have finished. Heart-shaped basal leaves form a tidy mound in spring, and the late bloom feeds bees and migrating butterflies well into autumn.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUSDA Hardiness Zones:\u003c\/strong\u003e 3–8\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSun:\u003c\/strong\u003e Full Sun to Partial Shade\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLife Cycle:\u003c\/strong\u003e Hardy Perennial\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth Habit:\u003c\/strong\u003e Upright, Clumping — airy branched stems above a leafy base\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloom Color:\u003c\/strong\u003e Blue and Lavender\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMature Height:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2–4 ft.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMature Width:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.5–2.5 ft.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloom Season:\u003c\/strong\u003e Late summer through fall\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth Rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e Moderate\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eSummary\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMost asters want open sun. This one grew up at the edge of the eastern woods, and it flowers in the half-light under high trees where the fall garden usually runs out of ideas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe spring growth is a low mound of heart-shaped leaves, easy to overlook. Through summer the plant builds a framework of thin, wiry, well-branched stems, and then in late summer it opens — hundreds of small daisies, pale blue to soft lavender with centers that start pale yellow and age to dusty rose. From a distance the effect is closer to a mist than to individual flowers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt is one of the last things blooming in a shaded garden, which matters more than it sounds. Late nectar is scarce, and this aster draws bumblebees, small native bees, and migrating butterflies through weeks when there is little else for them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCare\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBlue Wood Aster Care\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePlant in full sun to partial shade. It takes more shade than any other aster commonly sold, and in hot southern gardens some afternoon shade actually improves it. Plants in deeper shade grow looser and flower a little less heavily, which many gardeners prefer in a naturalized setting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAverage, well-drained garden soil is enough. It handles the dry, root-filled ground under mature trees better than most perennials, but it will not sit in soggy winter soil.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWater through the first season while roots establish, then only during extended dry spells. Established plants are fairly self-sufficient.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFeeding is rarely needed and rich soil produces floppy stems. If growth is genuinely weak, one light spring application of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/products\/slow-release-fertilizer\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eslow release fertilizer\u003c\/a\u003e is plenty.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFor a denser, shorter plant, cut stems back by about half in early June. Leave the seed heads standing through winter for the birds and cut the whole plant to the ground in early spring. Deadheading before seed set reduces self-sowing if you want to keep it in bounds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eSize\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat Size is the Blue Wood Aster for Sale Online?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOur Blue Wood Aster ships in a greenhouse-grade grow pot and is appropriately sized for its container at the time of shipment. If you have specific sizing or planting questions, please \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/pages\/contact\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Contact Almanac Planting Co\"\u003econtact us\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow Large Does Blue Wood Aster Grow?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBlue Wood Aster reaches two to four feet tall in bloom and spreads about a foot and a half to two and a half feet wide. Plants in shade run taller and looser; plants in sun stay shorter and denser. Space eighteen to twenty-four inches apart for a drift.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eAdditional Information\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat are some common names for this plant?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe most widely used names, in rough order of familiarity, are:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBlue wood aster\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeart-leaved aster\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCommon blue wood aster\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBluewood aster\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy is the botanical name different from what I remember?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt was long sold as \u003cem\u003eAster cordifolius\u003c\/em\u003e. Botanists split the North American asters out of the Old World genus \u003cem\u003eAster\u003c\/em\u003e some years ago, and this species moved to \u003cem\u003eSymphyotrichum\u003c\/em\u003e. Nothing about the plant changed — only the name. Both are still in common use in the nursery trade.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow much shade will it actually take?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt flowers acceptably in about four hours of sun and does well in bright dappled light beneath high-canopy trees. In deep, all-day shade it will persist and stay green but bloom sparsely. Think woodland edge rather than the north side of a building. Browse our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/collections\/native-plants\"\u003eNative Plants of North America\u003c\/a\u003e collection for more shade-tolerant natives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes it spread aggressively?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eNo. The clump widens slowly from the crown rather than running underground. It does self-sow where soil is open, which is welcome in a naturalized planting and easy to prevent in a formal bed by cutting the plant back after bloom. See our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/collections\/perennials\"\u003ePerennials\u003c\/a\u003e collection for other long-lived options.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDo deer bother it?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDeer will sample it in heavy-pressure areas, particularly on new spring growth, but it is not a preferred target and established plants usually recover without trouble. If deer are a constant problem, see our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/collections\/deer-resistant-perennials-grasses\"\u003edeer-resistant perennials and grasses\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Almanac Planting Co","offers":[{"title":"2 Gallon \/ Fall '26 Pre-Order","offer_id":47507181371554,"sku":"PN-BWAST-2-1yr","price":44.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0586\/9374\/6850\/files\/BlueWoodAster2.jpg?v=1786371052","url":"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/products\/blue-wood-aster","provider":"Almanac Planting Co","version":"1.0","type":"link"}