Native plants of the Carolinas and Georgia

teaching key OF THE CAROLINAS & GEORGIA, that is
Aster, Symphyotrichum, Eurybia, Sericocarpus, Oclemena, Doellingeria, Ionactis, Ampelaster

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inflorescence
Leaves of lower to mid-stem

 

INFLORESCENCE STRUCTURE

Flower heads are borne in a panicle or panicle-like array (sometimes appearing raceme-like, especially in young or stunted plants).

Flower heads are borne in a corymb.

Flower heads are borne singly.

 

FLOWER COLOR

Ray flowers are blue, lavender or violet, rarely white.

Ray flowers are white, rarely with a tinge of violet.

 

LEAVES

Leaves of lower to mid-stem have clasping bases.

Leaves of lower to mid-stem have heart-shaped (cordate) bases and obvious petioles.

Leaves of lower to mid-stem have bases that taper (or are somewhat rounded) to a petiole that is short or absent.

Leaves of lower to mid-stem are somewhat grass-like.

 

Click the SUBMIT button to examine Asters that meet your criteria (listed below).

Ampelaster carolinianus Climbing Aster
Symphyotrichum concinnum Narrowleaf Smooth Blue Aster, Harmonious Aster
Symphyotrichum elliottii Elliott's Aster, Southern Swamp Aster
Symphyotrichum georgianum Georgia Aster
Symphyotrichum grandiflorum Big-headed Aster, Rough Aster, Large-headed Aster, Largeflower Aster
Symphyotrichum laeve Smooth Blue Aster
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae New England Aster, Michaelmas-daisy
Symphyotrichum novi-belgii var. elodes New York Aster
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium Eastern Aromatic Aster, Shale-barren Aster
Symphyotrichum patens var. patens Late Purple Aster, Common Clasping Aster, Late Blue Aster, Skydrop Aster
Symphyotrichum phlogifolium Appalachian Clasping Aster, Thinleaf Late Purple Aster
Symphyotrichum prenanthoides Zigzag Aster, Crooked-stem Aster
Symphyotrichum puniceum var. puniceum Purplestem Aster, Swamp Aster
Symphyotrichum undulatum Wavyleaf Aster
Symphyotrichum walteri Walter's Aster

 

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Symphyotrichum cordifolium Heartleaf Aster, Common Blue Wood Aster
Symphyotrichum lowrieanum Smooth Heartleaf Aster, Lowrie's Blue Wood Aster, Lowrie's Aster
Symphyotrichum shortii Short's Aster, Midwestern Blue Heart-leaved Aster
Symphyotrichum undulatum Wavyleaf Aster
Symphyotrichum urophyllum White Arrowleaf Aster, Arrowleaf Blue Wood Aster

 

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Symphyotrichum concolor var. concolor Eastern Silvery Aster
Symphyotrichum divaricatum Midwestern Salt-marsh Aster, Annual Water Aster, Yard Aster
Symphyotrichum dumosum var. dumosum Bushy Aster, Long-stalked Aster, Rice Button Aster
Symphyotrichum elliottii Elliott's Aster, Southern Swamp Aster
Symphyotrichum praealtum var. angustior Willowleaf Aster, Veiny-lined Aster, Tall Aster, Willow Aster
Symphyotrichum racemosum var. racemosum Small White Aster
Symphyotrichum racemosum var. subdumosum Small White Oldfield Aster
Symphyotrichum retroflexum Curtis's Aster, Rigid Whitetop Aster
Symphyotrichum rhiannon Buck Creek Aster, Rhiannon's Aster
Symphyotrichum sericeum Western Silvery Aster
Symphyotrichum simmondsii Simmonds’s Aster
Symphyotrichum subulatum Eastern Saltmarsh Aster, Annual Saltmarsh Aster
Symphyotrichum tenuifolium Perennial Saltmarsh Aster

 

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Symphyotrichum oblongifolium Eastern Aromatic Aster, Shale-barren Aster

 

This database doesn't include any Asters that meet those criteria.

 

This database doesn't include any Asters that meet those criteria.

 

Click the SUBMIT button to examine Asters that meet your criteria (listed below).

Symphyotrichum urophyllum White Arrowleaf Aster, Arrowleaf Blue Wood Aster

 

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Symphyotrichum dumosum var. dumosum Bushy Aster, Long-stalked Aster, Rice Button Aster
Symphyotrichum lanceolatum var. lanceolatum Panicled Aster, White Panicle Aster, Tall White Aster
Symphyotrichum lanceolatum var. latifolium Broadleaf Panicled Aster, White Panicle Aster
Symphyotrichum lateriflorum Calico Aster, Starved Aster, Goblet Aster
Symphyotrichum pilosum var. pilosum Frost Aster, White Heath Aster
Symphyotrichum racemosum var. racemosum Small White Aster
Symphyotrichum racemosum var. subdumosum Small White Oldfield Aster
Symphyotrichum simmondsii Simmonds’s Aster
Symphyotrichum subulatum Eastern Saltmarsh Aster, Annual Saltmarsh Aster
Symphyotrichum tenuifolium Perennial Saltmarsh Aster

 

This database doesn't include any Asters that meet those criteria.

 

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Eurybia eryngiifolia Eryngo-leaved Aster, Thistleleaf Aster

 

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Eurybia compacta Slender Aster
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae New England Aster, Michaelmas-daisy
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium Eastern Aromatic Aster, Shale-barren Aster
Symphyotrichum prenanthoides Zigzag Aster, Crooked-stem Aster

 

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Eurybia macrophylla Large-leaf Aster, Bigleaf Aster
Eurybia mirabilis Piedmont Aster, Bouquet Aster

 

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Aster tataricus Tatarian Aster
Eurybia radula Rough-leaved Aster, Low Rough Aster
Eurybia spectabilis Low Showy Aster, Eastern Showy Aster
Eurybia surculosa Creeping Aster, Michaux's Wood-Aster
Ionactis linariifolia Stiffleaf Aster, Flaxleaf Aster, Spruce Aster

 

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Symphyotrichum oblongifolium Eastern Aromatic Aster, Shale-barren Aster

 

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Eurybia avita Alexander's Rock Aster
Eurybia paludosa Savannah Grass-leaved Aster, Southern Swamp Aster
Eurybia surculosa Creeping Aster, Michaux's Wood-Aster

 

This database doesn't include any Asters that meet those criteria.

 

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Eurybia chlorolepis Blue Ridge White Heart-leaved Aster, Mountain Wood-aster
Eurybia divaricata White Wood-aster, Woodland Aster, Common White Heart-leaved Aster
Eurybia macrophylla Large-leaf Aster, Bigleaf Aster
Eurybia mirabilis Piedmont Aster, Bouquet Aster
Eurybia schreberi Schreber's Aster

 

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Doellingeria infirma Appalachian Flat-topped White Aster, Cornel-leaf Aster, Cornel-leaf Whitetop Aster, Appalachian Whitetop Aster
Doellingeria sericocarpoides Pocosin Flat-top Aster, Southern Whitetop, Streamhead Flat-top Aster, Southern Flat-top Aster
Doellingeria umbellata var. umbellata Northern Tall Flat-top White Aster, Northern Tall Whitetop Aster, Northern Tall Flat-top Aster
Oclemena acuminata Whorled Nodding-aster, Whorled Wood-aster, Whorled Aster, Floral Wood Aster
Oclemena reticulata Pine-barren Aster, Whitetop Aster
Sericocarpus asteroides Toothed Whitetop Aster
Sericocarpus caespitosus Toothed Whitetop Aster
Sericocarpus linifolius Narrowleaf Whitetop Aster, Slender Whitetop Aster
Sericocarpus tortifolius Twisted-leaf Whitetop Aster, Dixie Whitetop Aster

 

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Oclemena reticulata Pine-barren Aster, Whitetop Aster

 

Click the SUBMIT button to examine Asters that meet your criteria (listed below).

Eurybia avita Alexander's Rock Aster

 

This database doesn't include any Asters that meet those criteria.

 

This database doesn't include any Asters that meet those criteria.

 

Click the SUBMIT button to examine Asters that meet your criteria (listed below).

Ionactis linariifolia Stiffleaf Aster, Flaxleaf Aster, Spruce Aster

 

This database doesn't include any Asters that meet those criteria.

 

This database doesn't include any Asters that meet those criteria.

 

This database doesn't include any Asters that meet those criteria.

 

This database doesn't include any Asters that meet those criteria.

 

This database doesn't include any Asters that meet those criteria.

 

This database doesn't include any Asters that meet those criteria.

 

Click the SUBMIT button to examine Asters that meet your criteria (listed below).

Eurybia eryngiifolia Eryngo-leaved Aster, Thistleleaf Aster

 

This key was inspired by Ron Lance's handout “Guide to the Asters of Western North Carolina,” and built on that as well as on the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas, Weakley's Flora, and Flora of North America.

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