Horizontal Calico Aster (Symphyotrichum lateriflorum)
sim-fee-oh-TRIK-um lateriflorum

Deciduous Perennial in the Asteraceae Family
 
Buy Horizontal Calico Aster
Size Notes Price Availability
38 FLAT Field $103.66

Limited Availability

Symphyotrichum lateriflorum, or Calico Aster, is a versatile native North American perennial that adds delicate texture and color to the fall garden. This aster species typically grows 1-3 feet tall and wide, forming a bushy, upright to sprawling clump of slender, branching stems.

The plant's narrow, lance-shaped leaves have a distinctive blue-green hue and tend to be slightly hairy, giving the foliage a soft, velvety appearance. In late summer to fall, Calico Aster is adorned with an abundance of tiny, white to pale purple daisy-like flowers. These blooms, which are clustered along the stems, create a delicate, lace-like effect that attracts a variety of pollinators, including bees, butterflies, and moths.

Adaptable and low-maintenance, Symphyotrichum lateriflorum thrives in full sun to partial shade and a wide range of well-drained soil types, from dry to average moisture conditions. Its spreading, sprawling habit makes it well-suited for use as a groundcover, in informal border plantings, or naturalized in meadows and prairies.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 24 - 36 inches tall. 12 - 18 inches wide.
Sun Exposure Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Medium - Wet
Zones 5a - 8b (Usually hardy to -20° F)
Tags Deciduous, Full Sun, Medium, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Popular For Fall, Wet
Bloom Period September to October
Flower Color White
 

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Pricing and Availability History

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Limited Availability

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.


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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!