Panicled aster is a widespread North American native.
Identification: Plants are 12-59″ (30-150 cm) in height,
rarely up to 6½′ (2 m). They consist of a single main stem that branches in the flowering
region. The stem may be hairy or hairless. Leaves are ⅜-3″ (1-8 cm) × ⅛-¾″ (5-20 mm),
with serrated or scalloped edges, oblanceolate or lanceolate. Dead leaves tend to curl a lot.
Flowerheads are panicles that may be heavily
branched and
densely or quite sparsely flowered. Flowers are white to pinkish or pale blue-violet, ⅜-¾″ (1-2 cm) across,
with 16-50 rays
and usually 20-40 tiny disc florets. Central disks are yellow, aging to purple. Maybe it is a coincidence,
but the petals (rays) seem less orderly than with many asters.
That’s a monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus). · 10/4/2008 · Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, Plum Island, Massachusetts ID is uncertain
9/27/2013 · Gordon and Kathy’s, Prospect, Maine · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 13 cm) ID is uncertain
9/27/2013 · Gordon and Kathy’s, Prospect, Maine · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 12 cm) ID is uncertain