Observing American Asters
They are so pretty. Asters. Symphyotrichum. My favorite flowers. As a friend said: "The only genus of any import." My favorite is the calico aster, Symphyotrichum lateriflorum.
But don't they give us headaches when we try to identify them?
Here are a few quick tips for observers of American Asters. With other plants, we would not need to take so many photos, such care in observing, hold our cameras or phones quite as still. But with the Symphyotrichums.... we need to photograph the
- Leaves and stems (don't forget those basal/ground leaves!)
- The fronts and backs of leaves
- Where the leaves attach to the stems
- A whole inflorescence or two
- The flower heads from the front/top (to see the ray and disk florets), sides (backs of rays, involucres, phyllaries), and back (bracts, involucres, and phyllaries)
- Step back and take a photo of the whole plant
They take longer to photograph, but it's worth it!
Observations
Photos / Sounds
What
Frost Aster (Symphyotrichum pilosum var. pilosum)Observer
elizabeth1067Description
Is this S. pilosum or S. ericoides?
Photos / Sounds
What
Calico Aster (Symphyotrichum lateriflorum)Observer
elizabeth1067Description
At least 3’ tall standing alone.
Photos / Sounds
What
Panicled Aster (Symphyotrichum lanceolatum)Observer
elizabeth1067Description
25-30 ray florets
Photos / Sounds
What
Common Panicled Aster (Symphyotrichum lanceolatum ssp. lanceolatum)Observer
elizabeth1067Description
Near multiple species. Is this a hybrid?
Photos / Sounds
What
Common Panicled Aster (Symphyotrichum lanceolatum ssp. lanceolatum)Observer
elizabeth1067
Comments
E,
Thank you for all your work!!!! I know some of them but so many are so though to tell apart. Thanks again!!!
A nice free download from Chicago's Field Museum for you Aster lovers
https://fieldguides.fieldmuseum.org/guides/guide/505
Here's a plant id site I use for Minnesota observations:
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/search?scientific_name=Symphyotrichum&wh
I like this site because it gives lots of details on the individual plants and, if you can hone in on one possible species, it will tell you what other species are often confused with it and give you specific details that distinguish one from another.
The photos aren't as large as I'd like and if a new species isn't widely found in the state they often don't have it. But I used it for easily 80% of my MN plant observations.
I waffle between wanting to find all the MN aster species and feeling like it's just too much work to distinguish between them all!
@thebals and @mmmiller - thank you for the resource links!
@ken-potter They sure are!
All hail Elizabeth!!! Only the bravest botanists tackle this genus.
I frequently tell people that the key to these plants is pure nightmare fuel:
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=132022
Thanks for working on these!!!
@sambiology If only FNA's key were in English. Oh, wait, that IS English... botanist English! :)
Hi E!
Thanks for the update! Since I am not a botanist by any measure, I'm still digesting some of this but I suppose one could just say "shoot everything". Sometimes easier said than done on windy days in the open fens and fields around here. I try but I know on some I fail! But thanks to your help I'm getting better! I see some great links in here!
@thebals and @mmmiller Thanks for the links!
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