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Elliott's Aster (Symphyotrichum elliottii)
Symphyotrichum elliottii
This native Georgia wildflower flourishes along the sunny edges of Carver’s wetland. Elliott’s aster produces clusters of delicate lavender-blue flowers with bright yellow centers that attract bees and butterflies in late fall. It grows best in moist, sandy soils that stay damp but not flooded. During seed collection, students look for the fluffy white seed heads that form after flowering, learning to recognize when the seeds are fully dry and ready to disperse.
★ This is a Georgia DNR SWAP Tracked Species.
Collection Site: GPS Coordinates: 31.93643, -81.31258 (±45m) | Carver Wetland
Bloom color: Purple, purplish pink
Phenology: Flowering Aug–Oct. or Sept-Nov
Habitat: Bogs, swamps, and marshes, mainly in the outer Coastal Plain, on tree bases, hummocks, and stumps in tidal freshwater swamps, especially where salinities may occasionally exceed 5-10 ppt.
National Wetland Plant Database
Elliots Aster on NatureServe
A Teaching Key To Asters
Native Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia
Carver iNaturalist Symphyotrichum elliottii
Georgia DNR SWAP Tracked Species
USDA Plant Profile Elliot's Aster
Flora of the Southeast United States
Key to Elliot's Aster
Elliott's Aster (Symphyotrichum elliottii) flower
Elliott's Aster (Symphyotrichum elliottii) seeds
Habitat: Grows in moist, sandy, or sandy-clay soils along wetland edges, ditches, savannas, and open meadows. Often found in the coastal plain where soils remain damp but not flooded. Facultative Wetland (FACW) – usually occurs in wetlands but can grow in moist upland areas.
When to Collect: After flowering in late fall, when seed heads have turned brown and dry and the fluffy white seeds begin to loosen.
When to Plant: Late winter to early spring after cold stratification (store seeds in a refrigerator for 30–60 days).
How to Plant: Sow on the surface of moist, well-drained sandy or sandy-peat soil. Press seeds lightly into the soil without covering. Keep evenly moist during germination.
Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade.
Soil Preference: Moist, sandy, or sandy-clay soils with slight acidity; prefers sites that stay damp but not waterlogged.
Growth Notes: Flowers in late fall; attracts native pollinators including bees and butterflies. Once established, Elliott’s aster may self-seed and spread naturally in wetland or bioswale habitats.
Fun Fact: Elliott’s aster is one of the last native flowers to bloom each year, providing essential nectar for pollinators when few other flowers are available.
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