Symphyotrichum lanceolatum (Willow Aster) - photos and description
Stems hairy in lines.
Stems hairy in lines.
Leaves usually entire
Leaves sometimes have small teeth
General: Erect plants with branching growth habit, plants are rhizomatous. Stems hairy in lines.
Flowers: Flower heads numerous in leafy panicles, white in colour (field guides also list flower heads as pink to bluish-purple). I measured flower heads at 2 cm diameter.
Leaves: Leaves alternate, stalkless, linear to narrowly lanceolate, usually entire but sometimes toothed. We measured a leaf at 11 cm long and 1 cm wide.
Height: Height listed in Flora of Alberta to 120 cm. Plant in above photo was 135 cm tall.
Habitat: Stream banks, ditches, marshes, and moist spots.
Abundance: Common.
Origin: Native.
Synonym: This plant is listed in some of the field guides we use as Aster hesperius.
Similar species: This plant is similar to
Symphyotrichum
boreale. To identify Symphyotrichum boreale:
- leaves uniform < 5 mm wide
- inflorescence few headed,
generally < 10 flower heads, inflorescence flat-topped
-
plants are few-branched.
To identify Symphyotrichum lanceolatum:
- leaves > 5 mm in width
- inflorescence many-headed, flower heads generally > 10
present
- branching
growth habit.
When and where photographed: Took the above photos August 20th, moist ditch, Duck Mountain Provincial Park, about 300 km northeast of our home in Regina, SK.