Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Asteraceae

Genus:

Symphyotrichum

Species:

Symphyotrichum expansum

USDA Symbol:

SYEX

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Annual | Biennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

150 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Low

Bloom Months:

sep,oct,nov

Bloom Colors:

white, pink, 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)

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 following fire; typical of wetland asters in fire-maintained systems.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

moist, nutrient-rich, well-drained soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

tolerates poor drainage

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

commonly found in wet meadows and marshes

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Germination Time:

14–28 days

Notes:

Surface sow; light aids germination. Cold stratification improves germination rates.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI