Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)

New England Aster is a deciduous, sometimes woody perennial that oftentimes appears as a small shrub. Plant at least 12 inches apart in a sunny location with good drainage. This plant tends to grow rapidly, so make sure to give it room to grow! Leaves are rough, alternate, and hairy with…

While other goldenrod species bloom yellow, White Goldenrod is the only one native to the east coast that blooms white. Yellow and white ray flowers bloom late summer to fall on spikes, and it looks beautiful planted alongside asters. It is naturally found in dry upland forests, rocky woodlands, and roadsides.…

Resembling the common sunflower, this showy wildflower has smaller flowers with more abundant blooms. Oxeye Sunflower shows off its bright yellow daisy-like flowers between May and October, providing visual interest over a long bloom period and are great as cut flowers. With its easygoing nature, it makes a great addition to…

Common Sneezeweed is a showy upright perennial in the sunflower family. Bright yellow disc flowers have 3-toothed petals that droop away from round yellow centers in late summer and early fall. They are a fantastic pollinator plant and are frequently visited by native bees. As petals fall away and seeds mature,…

If you love butterflies and have space for it, Sweet Joe Pye Weed would be a fantastic addition to your garden! A sun-loving, clumping perennial getting to be up to seven feet tall, it is a sight to behold. Not only is this plant a host for at least ten different…

Coastal Plain Joe Pye Weed is a late summer to early fall blooming wildflower, with large pale pink flower heads, found throughout sunny meadows along the east coast. This wet-loving perennial is in the aster family, but the blooms form dense clusters rather than large disc flowers. Frequently described as a…

Grass-leaved Goldenrod is a quick-growing, dense clumping perennial in the Aster family. Slender, grass-like leaves grow alternately up the length of the stems, giving this plant its common name. From July to October, rounded flat-topped clusters of golden yellow flowers make their appearance, giving way to cypselae in colder months. Nectar…

Roundleaf Thoroughwort is known for its umbels filled with clusters of white flowers, frequently visited by flying insects including wasps, butterflies, and bees. Wasps are helpful in the garden in keeping pest insects at bay. This upright perennial grows in bogs, savannahs, and wooded areas. Although it can occur in wetlands,…

Carolina Elephant’s Foot is an herbaceous perennial found in dry woodlands in the southeast. It prefers soil that is well-drained and can handle sandy soils. Light purple, pink to white disc flowers form clusters that appear as a single flower, appearing in late summer and fall. In the Asteraceae family, it…

Field Thistle has incredible value to wildlife as a food source. Native bees, beetles, butterflies, moths, and hummingbirds flock to the blooms of this plant for its sweet nectar. Songbirds eat the seeds, while Goldfinches are particularly fond of them. Not to be confused with aggressive non-native bull thistle, which blooms…