FNPS Plant Database

Symphyotrichum dumosum

bush aster, rice button aster
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Roger Hammer, Dade Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Ginny Stibolt, Ixia Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

bush aster, rice button aster

Synonym(s):

Aster dumosus

Genus species:

Symphyotrichum dumosum

Family:

Asteraceae (Compositae)

Plant Specifics

Form:

flower

Size:

2-4 ft

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

white,pink,blue,lavender

Fruit Color:

white

Phenology:

winter dormant

Noted For:

Showy Flowers

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Wildflower garden, meadow.

Considerations:

Availability:

Seed

Propagation:

Seed.

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded---------------------------------Extremely Dry

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Usually moist, occasional inundation -to- Somewhat long very dry periods

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand

Soil pH:

Acidic

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9A,9B,10A,10B,11

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.



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Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Caterpillars



  • Attracts pollinators, especially native bees.


  • Larval host plant for pearl crescent ( Phyciodes tharos ) butterflies.


Native Habitats:

Sandhills, flatwoods, pine-oak-hickory woods, floodplains, secondary woods, cutthroat seep.

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

Citations:

Huegel, Craig.  2009.  https://hawthornhillwildflowers.blogspot.com/2009/11/rice-button-aster-symphyotrichum.html



Huegel, Craig, N.  2012.  Native wildflowers and other ground covers for Florida landscapes. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL.



Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. 2021. Atlas of Florida Plants (http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/).  Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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