Fauna
Flower

Whorled Wood Aster

Oclemena acuminata

Also known as Whorled Aster, Mountain Aster, Sharp-leaved Aster, Pointed-leaved Aster

Whorled wood asters carpet northern hardwood understories with distinctive umbrella-like whorls of sharply toothed leaves clustered just below loose flower clusters. Blooming from midsummer through early autumn, their delicate white to pale purplish composite heads provide a critical late-season nectar supply for woodland pollinators. Underground rhizomes allow robust colonies to spread across rich, acidic forest floors, especially in high-elevation Appalachian and boreal transition zones.

WildflowerWoodlandPerennial
Whorled Wood Aster reference1 / 7
(c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · cc-by-sa
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preySunlight, Water, Soil Nutrients
Predators
  • White-tailed Deer
  • Herbivorous Caterpillars
  • Land Snails
ThreatsCanopy removal, habitat fragmentation, and heavy browsing by white-tailed deer
HabitatsMoist deciduous woods, montane hardwood slopes, hemlock forests, and forest edges
Life spanPerennial (indefinite via clonal rhizomes)
Classification
  1. OrderAsterales
  2. FamilyAsteraceae
  3. GenusOclemena
  4. SpeciesOclemena acuminata
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Identification: Look for broad, jagged leaves that appear clustered in a single pseudowhorl near the top of the stem.
  • Habitat Clues: Seek them out along shaded hiking trails through mixed birch, maple, and hemlock woodlands in late summer.
  • Leave Undisturbed: Avoid trampling the surrounding forest leaf litter, as the shallow rhizomes are easily damaged.
Related species
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