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Bigleaf aster

Eurybia macrophylla

Also called Big leaf aster, Big-leaved aster, Large-leaved aster, Large-leaved wood aster, Large Leaf Aster

Bigleaf aster
Photo: wackybadger, CC BY-SA 2.0

A native North American woodland perennial with large heart-shaped basal leaves and lavender or white daisy-like flowers in late summer to fall. It grows best in cool, moist shade under trees.

Family
Asteraceae (Daisy family)
Grows as
Perennial
Light
Part shade, Shade
Water
Keep soil evenly moist, especially in dry spells, but never waterlogged.
Soil
Rich, humusy, well-drained woodland soil or leaf mould.
Temperature
Hardy to around -35 °C; prefers cool summers and mild, humid conditions.
How easy
Easy
Edible
Yes, some parts
Native range
C. & E. Canada to NC. & E. U.S.A.
Climate
temperate

About

Eurybia macrophylla, commonly known as the bigleaf aster, large-leaved aster, largeleaf aster or bigleaf wood aster, is an herbaceous perennial in the family Asteraceae that was formerly treated in the genus Aster. It is native to eastern North America, with a range extending from eastern and central Canada (from Nova Scotia to Manitoba) through the northeastern deciduous and mixed forests of New England and the Great Lakes region and south along the Appalachians as far as the northeastern corner of Georgia, and west as far as Minnesota, Missouri and Arkansas. The flowers appear in the late summer to early fall and show ray florets that are usually either a deep lavender or violet, but sometimes white, and disc florets that are cream-coloured or light yellow, becoming purple as they mature. It is one of the parent species of the hybrid Eurybia × herveyi.

Where it grows

Eurybia macrophylla is native to southern parts of eastern and central Canada and to northern parts of the eastern and central United States, south to northern Georgia in the Appalachian Mountains. In Canada, it is common in Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. In the United States, it can be found in all states east of and including Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri and Tennessee. It may also be present in Mississippi. The plant has also been introduced outside of its native range into northern Europe. It is most often encountered at 0 to 1300 metre (0–4300 feet) elevations in moist to dry soils in association with hemlock–northern hardwood, beech–maple or pine forests, Appalachian spruce–fir forests, as well as with aspen, pine or open spruce woodlands. It can also be found in thickets, clearings or along shaded roadsides.

Uses

The large, thick young leaves can be cooked and eaten as greens. The Algonquin people of Quebec use the leaves in this way.

Other Eurybia plants

White wood aster

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Eurybia macrophylla by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.

The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.

Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.

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