Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
A cheerful, unkillable starter native that blooms its first year and seeds itself politely around.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
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- Plant guide
- New England Aster
Royal purple
Perennial wildflower
New England Aster
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
Late-season fuel — clouds of purple daisies feeding migrating monarchs and the last bumblebees of fall.
the Northeastthe Mid-Atlanticthe Southeastthe Midwestthe Great Plains
Growing New England Aster
Pinch by half in early June for a bushier, self-supporting plant. Critical nectar in October when little else is blooming. It’s showy, easy to grow, and long-blooming.
Where it grows
New England Aster is native to the Northeast. In the wild you’ll find it across Alabama · Arkansas · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa and 32 more states. Always confirm it suits your specific county with your state native plant society before planting.
Regional Garden shows New England Aster on 42 state pages.
Good for
Sourcing
Where to buy New England 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 New England Aster’s range and conditions.
Lanceleaf Coreopsis
Coreopsis lanceolata
Sunny gold daisies for weeks in early summer on the leanest, driest soil you can offer.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
The garden workhorse — months of nectar for bees and butterflies, then seed heads goldfinches strip all winter.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Aromatic Aster
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
A drought-proof, mounding aster that closes the pollinator season with sheets of blue.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Sep–Nov