Calico Aster (Symphyotrichum lateriflorum) is a native perennial plant that adds beauty and ecological value to gardens and natural landscapes. It is recognized by its small white flowers, typically featuring a central disk that changes color from yellow to reddish-purple or brown as it matures, giving it a distinctive “calico” appearance. This plant blooms in the late season, usually from late summer through fall, providing visual interest when many other plants have finished flowering. Calico Aster is widely distributed across eastern and central North America, thriving in various habitats such as moist woods, meadows, floodplains, and along stream banks.
Ecological Contributions of Calico Aster
Calico Aster serves as a significant late-season nectar and pollen source, supporting a wide array of pollinators when other floral resources become scarce. Its blooms attract numerous insects, including various native bees, such as bumblebees, miner bees, and sweat bees, along with butterflies, wasps, and hoverflies. This plant is particularly beneficial for at least 16 species of specialist bees that rely on its pollen exclusively. The short nectar tubes of Calico Aster flowers are especially suited for insects with short proboscises, like mining bees.
Beyond providing nectar and pollen, Calico Aster acts as a host plant for the larvae of several insect species, contributing to their life cycles. It supports at least 11 species of butterflies and moths, including the Pearl Crescent butterfly, Silvery Checkerspot butterfly, Isabella tiger moth, and Green owlet moth. This role as a host plant is important for maintaining insect populations and overall biodiversity. As a keystone species, Calico Aster helps stabilize ecosystems by fostering interactions among different species.
The plant’s seeds offer a valuable food source for birds in the fall and winter, extending its ecological benefit beyond the blooming season. After flowering, the small, dry seeds develop a fluffy pappus for wind dispersal. Leaving the dried stems and seed heads in the garden through winter also provides shelter for overwintering beneficial insects.
Advantages for Gardeners and Landscapes
Calico Aster offers gardeners and landscapers a low-maintenance option that provides late-season beauty and ecological benefits. This resilient plant is adaptable to a range of soil types, though it prefers average to moist, well-drained conditions. Once established, it demonstrates good drought tolerance, making it suitable for gardens in areas prone to dry spells. Its ability to thrive in various light conditions, from full sun to partial shade, further enhances its versatility in garden settings.
The plant’s ease of growth makes it a suitable choice for both experienced and novice gardeners, requiring minimal care once rooted. Calico Aster typically grows to a height of 1 to 4 feet and spreads 1 to 3 feet, forming clumps and sometimes naturalizing in an area. Its bloom, from late summer into October, extends visual interest and color in the garden when many other plants have faded, bridging the gap between summer and frost.
Calico Aster fits well into various garden designs, including native plant gardens, pollinator gardens, wildflower meadows, and naturalized areas. Its delicate, airy appearance, with masses of small flowers clustered along its stems, adds texture and fills in gaps in perennial borders or woodland edges. It can be used as a border plant or in mass plantings to create an informal display. The plant’s resistance to deer also contributes to its appeal in residential landscapes.