Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Asteraceae

Genus:

Symphyotrichum

Species:

Symphyotrichum divaricatum

USDA Symbol:

SYDI2

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Annual | Biennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

120 cm

Light Requirements:

Part Shade

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

aug,sep,oct,nov

Bloom Colors:

white, lavender

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★★★★☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:

★★★★☆ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Reported Fauna Sightings

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, butterflies, birds

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from rootstock after fire; benefits from periodic burning in prairie systems.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

moist, well-drained sandy loam

pH:

6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

good drainage required

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

prefers open, sunny areas in native habitat

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Germination Time:

14–30 days

Notes:

Surface sow; light may aid germination. Cold stratification improves germination rates.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI