Short's Aster (Symphyotrichum shortii)
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Deciduous Perennial in the Asteraceae Family | |||||||||||
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Available May 9
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Symphyotrichum shortii, or Short's Aster, is a native North American perennial that adds a touch of delicate beauty to the fall garden. This aster species typically grows 2-4 feet tall and wide, forming an upright, branching clump of thin, lance-shaped leaves. The plant's foliage has a distinctive dark green hue and tends to be slightly hairy, giving the leaves a soft texture. In late summer to fall, Short's Aster is covered in a purple mist of blooms in a forest or shady garden. The centers of the flowers start out yellow but turn brick red after pollination, creating an eye-catching display that attracts a variety of pollinators, including bees, butterflies, and parasitic wasps. Adaptable and shade-tolerant, Symphyotrichum shortii thrives in partial to full shade and moist, well-drained soil conditions. Its upright, branching habit makes it well-suited for use in woodland gardens, along shaded borders, or naturalized in moist meadows and prairies. The plant will self-sow and spread throughout an area, but individual plants are short-lived. |
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Plant Data | |||||||||||
Mature Size | 24 - 36 inches tall. 24 - 36 inches wide. | ||||||||||
Sun Exposure | Partial Sun - Full Shade | ||||||||||
Moisture Tolerance | Dry - | ||||||||||
Zones | 5a - 8b (Usually hardy to -20° F) | ||||||||||
Tags | Attracts Butterflies, Deciduous, Dry, Full Shade, Good for Rain Garden, Illinois Native, Native to North America, Partial Sun, Perennial, Popular For Fall | ||||||||||
Bloom Period | August - October | ||||||||||
Flower Color | Purple
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We try very hard to source exactly what you’d like, but sometimes growers run out of plants! While this variety is a great deal at the price shown, we know that it has limited availability. If you want the plant even if it might be more expensive, or in a different size or quantity -- after you place your order, just send us a quick note at help@northshoreplantclub.com. Then, we’ll try to get you some version of this from one of our growers. And if we can’t get it from anywhere, of course, we’ll send a refund!
Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.
Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.
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To secure the best prices for club members and make sure we know the current plants available from each nursery, we take orders only a couple of times a month.
Shoot us an email at help@northshoreplantclub.com, and we'll be happy to talk about plants or let you know when it's time to buy them!
We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.
Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!