Eurybia integrifolia / thickstem aster
- purple composite with 10-20 ray florets
- entire, elongated leaves with short or no petioles
- exposed areas, mountain slopes, dry meadows, roadsides
- flowers in late summer and into September
Thickstem aster has lovely, purple flowers that grow in clusters at the top of erect stems. Notable, if you look even half closely, are the sticky glands on the top sections of those stems (see gallery photo). Each flower has a bell- or cup-like involucre, also glandular. The tips of the bracts are purple tinted.
Important for distinguishing this species from other purple asters is the number of ray florets. In this case, there are only 6 to maybe 20 of these, rather untidy looking, surrounding a yellow (initially) to purplish/reddish/brown (with age), very noticeable clump of disk florets.
The basal and lower stem leaves of this species are up to 9 in long. The margins are entire and they have short petioles at best. There are leaves on the flowering stems; these are smaller and more elongated than the basal leaves. Overall, at 2 feet or more, thickstem aster is taller than most other purple species.
Thickstem aster grows in dry meadows and on open mountain slopes. It’s also found on disturbed ground. It flowers in late summer (from the end of July) and on into September.
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