Asters (6)
Asters are distinguished from Daisies by their phyllaries, which circle the under-side of the flower. Asters have phyllaries that overlap, like shingles. Daisies have phyllaries about the same length, like a fence. Asters bloom later in the summer than daisies. There are many asters. Here are a few. See also Purple Asters and Townsend Daisies.
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Porter's Aster Family:
Sunflower (Asteraceae) Grows to 18" with wiry stems and smooth, narrow, bright green leaves. Flowers are small, to ¾" across. The bracts are three-tiered, green, and spread out from the base. Flora of North America reference. |
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White Heath Aster Family:
Sunflower (Asteraceae) Grows to 3 feet with twisted woody stems. The leaves are narrow and pointed as in heaths. The centers of the flower heads turn reddish-brown with age. Flowers grow in a cylindrical spike or a one-sided cluster. Bracts are green and hairy and curve out.
Flora of North America reference. |
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Rayless Alkali Aster Family:
Sunflower (Asteraceae) Grows to 2 feet high with a single, reddish stem. The leaves are thin and fleshy and usually withered by flowering. Flowers grow in a dense pyramid or a narrow cluster. Flower heads are narrow with long, narrow, spreading bracts and have no petals (ray flowers). The disk flowers are creamy white, sometimes pinkish. What appears to be yellow petals in the photo are yellowing bracts. Flora of North America reference. |
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Engelmann's Aster Family:
Sunflower (Asteraceae) Grows to 5 feet tall, often under Engelmann Spruce trees. |
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Flowers are 2" across and have a few twisted petals. The bracts are broad with purple edges.
Photo taken on:
August 12, 2007 Flora of North America reference. |
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Leafy Aster Family:
Sunflower (Asteraceae) Grows from 8" to 24" high in clumps with showy flowers
1½" across .
Flowers range from white to
lavender. |
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Large leafy bracts identify this Aster. The longer outer bracts identify it as var. canbyi. The leaves growing from the stem are broad and clasping. According to Flora of North America "Symphyotrichum foliaceum is extremely variable and is widespread in western montane coniferous forests and subalpine meadows", which is where I found them. |
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Charming Woody-Aster Family:
Sunflower (Asteraceae) Growing in dense clumps to 15" high with mostly basal, entire, 3" long leaves, ½" wide with wavy margins. Flowers over 1" across. Phyllaries are ½" long with long pointed tips.
Flora of North America reference. |
