Aster oblongifolius 'October Skies'

aromatic aster

(syn. Symphyotrichum oblongifolium 'October Skies')

Shorter, bushier, bluer sister of 'Raydon's Favorite'. A strong growing low mound of bushy foliage covered in lavender blue flowers in mid fall. Highly tolerant of drought and poor soils. This Primrose Path introduction has excellent groundcover potential.

SIZE
Aster oblongifolius 'October Skies' - 72 per flat	Availability

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Height

18 Inches

Spread

18 Inches

Spacing

12-18 Inches

Bloom Color

Violet

USDA Hardiness Zone 5-8

aromatic aster Interesting Notes

Aster oblongifolius ‘October Skies’, now Symphyotrichum oblongifolium ‘October Skies’, is an intensely floriferous, low-growing selection of aromatic aster. It forms a bushy habit of 2’ tall by 2’ wide and is covered with 1” blue-lavender flowers beginning late summer through to fall. Related to Aster ‘Raydon’s Favorite,’ it grows slightly more compact and starts blooming two weeks earlier. This plant has great potential as a groundcover.

Symphyotrichum oblongifolium prefers full sun and dry conditions. It generally can be found in limestone glades, slopes, prairies, and dry open ground and has a high pH tolerance. While it prefers lean soils, aromatic aster is adaptable to a wide range of soil conditions and can tolerate heat, pollution, and soil compaction. Due to its aromatic foliage, it is highly resistant to deer, rabbits, rodents, and insects.

While aromatic aster prefers dry sites with poor soils and limited competition, we find it does well in our trials, even in heavy clay, or competing with plants on a steep hillside in our constructed wetland area. It is a favorite for butterflies and provides a great nectar resource late in the season. Seedlings do not come true to ‘October Skies’ - to prevent the possible spread of unwanted aromatic aster, it is recommended to cut off seedheads before they fully ripen in a managed setting.