Smooth Blue Aster - Aster laevis - MN Native

True to its name, the stems and leaves are glaucous (covered in a waxy, bluish-green coating) and entirely hairless. If you run your hand along the plant, it feels cool and smooth, unlike the sandpaper texture of the New England Aster. It produces dense clusters of star-shaped flowers. Each flower features 15–30 lavender to deep blue rays surrounding a central disc that starts yellow and matures to a reddish-purple. The leaves are heart-shaped at the base and become lance-shaped as they move up the stem. A distinct identifying feature is that the upper leaves clasp the stem, almost appearing to wrap around it. It grows 2-4 feet tall

Type: MN Native perennial; Keystone Plant 🔑
Sun: Full sun to partial shade
Soil: Well-drained
Pot Size: 4-inch pot

Image Credit: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons