Arts & Leisure Gardening

Ask a Master Gardener: The beautiful New England aster

The New England aster, a herbaceous perennial, blooms from late summer to late fall, adding color to the garden and serving as a vital source of pollen and nectar for migrating monarch butterflies and other pollinators. photo / Nadie VanZandt

An excellent choice to consider for late-season interest in your garden is the New England aster, a North American native plant with many benefits. When other plants start to wither, New England asters bloom with brilliant shades of violet and purple daisy-like flowers prolonging the color in your garden from late summer through late fall.