Identification: Plants are 7-39″ (17-100 cm) high, occurring in
colonies, with branching stems that are often reddish. Stems lack hairs near the bottom, but toward the
top, small hairs, typically lying against the stem, occur in rows along the stem.
Leaves are thick, unlobed, ovate to lanceolate,
sessile (attached directly to stems) or clasping,
⅝-2″ (1.7-6 cm) × ⅛-⅜″ (6-11 mm). Leaves near the bottom are already drying out and
falling by flowering time, while those higher on the stem remain, becoming smaller further up.
Leaves sometimes have teeth.
Flowers consist of a central disc with 28-68 tiny florets and 15-35 rays that are bluish to purple,
rarely pink or white. The central disc is yellow, aging to reddish brown or purple. Flowers are
about 1-1¼″ (2.5-3.2 cm) in diameter, appearing from
August to October. New York aster tends to be paler in color than New England aster.