Thunderdome Aster (Aster x 'Thunderdome')
ASS-ter ex 'Thunderdome'
Deciduous Perennial Bushy, Rounded in the Asteraceae Family
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A native hybrid combining New England Aster's deep purple flowers with Aromatic Aster's fragrant foliage and compact, bushy habit — deer and rabbit resistant.
'Thunderdome' is a hybrid between Aromatic Aster (Aster oblongifolius) and New England Aster (Aster novae-angliae), introduced in 2023 by Intrinsic Perennial Gardens. It combines the large, deep purple flowers of New England Aster with the fragrant foliage and bushy, substantial habit of Aromatic Aster, producing a compact, rounded plant that stays tidier than a straight New England Aster while retaining Aromatic Aster's drought tolerance. Blooms open in late August and continue into September, drawing bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.
Pros
Deep purple flowers hold their color well over a long late-summer-into-fall bloom period
Compact, bushy habit stays tidier than straight New England Aster
Fragrant, aromatic foliage inherited from its Aromatic Aster parent
Genuinely deer and rabbit resistant, drought-tolerant once established
Cons
As a young hybrid introduction (2023), long-term garden performance is still being established
Sources give somewhat inconsistent spread figures — treat exact mature width as approximate
Highlights
A 2023 introduction from Intrinsic Perennial Gardens combining two well-loved native asters — bred to keep New England Aster's showy purple flowers on a more compact, less floppy plant.
Plant Data
Mature Size
3 - 4 feet
tall. 30 - 36 inches
wide.
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance
Dry - Medium
Zones
4a - 8b
(Usually hardy to -30° F)
Tags
Attracts Bees, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Pollinators, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Dry, Fall Color, Fall interest, Fragrant Foliage, Full Sun, Good for Borders, Good for Cottage Garden, Medium, Native to North America, Partial Sun, Perennial, Popular For Fall, Rabbit Resistant
We try very hard to source exactly what you’d like, but sometimes growers run out of plants! While this variety is a great deal at the price shown, we know that it has limited availability. If you want the plant even if it might be more expensive, or in a different size or quantity -- after you place your order, just send us a quick note at help@northshoreplantclub.com. Then, we’ll try to get you some version of this from one of our growers. And if we can’t get it from anywhere, of course, we’ll send a refund!
Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants
Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.
Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.
Estimated Recipe Cost
The cost of this recipe's ingredients will vary depending on the season and the sizes and varieties you select.
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To secure the best prices for club members and make sure we know the current plants available from each nursery, we take orders only a couple of times a month.
Shoot us an email at help@northshoreplantclub.com, and we'll be happy to talk about plants or let you know when it's time to buy them!
No Pricing or Availability Right Now
We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region.
It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.
Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!