large-leaved aster

Also known as Bigleaf Aster, Bigleaf Wood Aster, Largeleaf Aster

Dense colonies of large-leaved aster blanket northern hardwood and mixed forest floors with broad, rough-textured basal foliage. In late summer, rigid flowering stems rise above the leaf carpet, producing flat-topped clusters of pale violet to white rays surrounding centers that turn from yellow to reddish purple after pollination. Extensive rhizome networks allow these plants to persist for decades in dense shade, though flowering peaks when canopy gaps let in shafts of sunlight.