Native. Perennial. Propagates by seeds.

Time of bloom: Late July to October.

Seed-time: September to November.

Range: New Jersey to Minnesota, southward to Florida, Louisiana, and Nebraska. Habitat: Moist soil; low meadows, banks of streams, and ditches.

The common name of this plant fits it well, for it has all the appearance of a big and bushy , Aster and is nearly akin to that Family. Stem two to six feet tall, stout, smooth, pale green, much branched, and very leafy. Leaves alternate, the lower ones oblong to lance-shaped or slightly broadened above the middle, thick, smooth, entire, pointed, sessile, often turned edgewise; upper leaves much smaller, acute, and nearly linear. Heads numerous, in loosely branched corymbose clusters, each about a half-inch broad, with many narrow pistillate, and fertile rays, white, pale pink, or purplish, mostly the last. Disk rounded and yellow, the florets perfect and fertile. Achenes flattened, obo-vate or heart-shaped, winged on the margin, and, instead of an Aster's hairy pappus, are crowned with several short, prickly scales and two to four bristly awns about as long as the achene. (Fig. 298.)

Means Of Control

Ground infested with this weed indicates a need of better drainage. Prevent seed production by close cutting while in early bloom. Cultivation of the soil destroys the perennial roots.

Fig. 298. - Bushy Aster (Boltonia asteroides). X 1/4.