Blanketflower
Gaillardia aristata
Fiery red-and-gold wheels that bloom nonstop all summer on hot, dry, sandy ground.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
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- Plant guide
- Douglas Aster
Violet-blue
Perennial wildflower
Douglas Aster
Symphyotrichum subspicatum
The Pacific Northwest's late-season aster, feeding bees into the first cool, wet days of fall.
the Pacific Northwest
Growing Douglas Aster
Adaptable to wet or average soil and a key fall nectar source west of the Cascades. Spreads modestly to fill a border. It’s easy to grow, and showy.
Where it grows
Douglas Aster is native to the Pacific Northwest. In the wild you’ll find it across California · Idaho · Montana · Oregon · Washington. Always confirm it suits your specific county with your state native plant society before planting.
Regional Garden shows Douglas Aster on 5 state pages.
Good for
Sourcing
Where to buy Douglas Aster
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.
Plant it with
Companions & kin.
Natives that share Douglas Aster’s range and conditions.
California Lilac
Ceanothus thyrsiflorus
Sheets of true-blue spring flowers on an evergreen shrub that hums with bees on the West Coast.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 6–20 ft
- Blooms Mar–May
Common Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
A near-continental native with flat flower heads that feed tiny beneficial insects, tough as a weed.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms May–Aug
Showy Milkweed
Asclepias speciosa
The West's monarch milkweed — bolder, fuzzier, and more drought-hardy than its eastern cousins.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul