New England Aster
Given name: Symphyotrichum novae-angliae , nee Aster novae-angliae
Nickname(s): Michaelmas daisy
Family: Asteraceae
Oh no... it's that time of year again. That time that I dread all summer long. It's the time when I (gulp) have to flower!
Every year, starting around the end of August, I can sense that the days are getting shorter and I know that the pressure is on. All eyes (human and insect) are on me, waiting for my visual and nourishing bounty. It makes me so nervous! Earlier in the year I probably could have hidden myself among the flush of summer colours, but now there are so few flowers left, I'm sort of hard to miss.
I feel even more exposed at this time of year because, although between 50 and 100 blossoms cover my top, during the summer I stress so much about my upcoming bloom time, that most of the rough, hairy, lance-shaped leaves on my stiff lower stems fall off, leaving my naked hairy stalks.
See how much this makes me blush- the pinkish colour of my embarrassment tinges my deep purple flowers.
I must be brave, though.
I told myself throughout the summer that I'm going to work on getting over this shyness, not just for me, but because others depend on me. Since I'm from North America, many insects on that continent have come to count on me as a late season nectar source, including bee flies, bumble bees, miner bees, sweat bees, small carpenter bees, leaf-cutter bees, butterflies, moths and more. It's more attention than I'd like but my community needs me!
Thank goodness goldenrod is usually around to share the load. We're the type of friends that help each other be the best plants we can be.
When we're growing together, we actually receive more bee visits than when we're growing alone. I guess our striking colour contrast, yellow and purple, must be a bee magnet.
Although serving so may pollinators is good for the ecosystem, for me, being an introvert, all this buzz is exhausting. That's why, despite the fact that most of my family keeps a rosette of small leaves under the snow, I die back all the way. I need the calm and quiet of underground life through the winter to replenish my energy for the next growing season.
Then, in the spring, my leaves tentatively peak up and, as long as I have some environmental encouragement, I can quickly reach a modest 3-4 feet tall and 2-3 feet wide. At times, though, often with the reassurance of full sun, a good amount of water and rich soil, I feel more confident and surge to 6 feet.
But then I usually change my mind and flop over, hoping you won't notice me.
Maybe if you stake me, I might feel supported enough to stand tall.
Pardon?
You think I should stand tall because I'm beautiful?
Naw... you're just saying that...
Really? You mean it? Well, twirl my stalks, that's awfully nice of you to say.
I've heard others say that I'm the prettiest plant in my genus but I don't believe it. Aren't you folks tired of looking at me? I'm kind of everywhere in North America- I commonly occur in two thirds of the northeastern deciduous forest region and on the Great Plains. There are even isolated populations of me as far south as New Mexico! But I suppose I've got some appeal- I was taken all the way across the Atlantic to be used as a cultivated flower in Europe. And for some reason, you folks even cut my blooms for bouquets. Although I don't understand it, if seeing a bouquet of me makes you happy, I don't mind.
But I do mind when people pinch back my stems several weeks before I flower to make me more bushy. You say you want me then you cut me back... that kind of treatment is enough to make anyone a little wary of others.
You're totally adding to my shrinking violet complex, you know!
(Also, who came up with the term “shrinking violet”? In my experience “cheerful violet” is more like it)
But despite that, I still try to help people. The Cherokee and Mohawk used a tea of my aerial parts to treat fevers and made a tea from my boiled roots for diarrhea and to use externally on poison ivy. Although you won't find me in a lot of books about herbal healing (and I must admit that when I think about my friend Burnt-Out Echinacea, I'm kind of glad), modern herbalists are beginning to get to know me.
Some recommend my leaves and flowering tops for respiratory issues to relax and open the lungs, as a decongestant and for stomach issues.
Gee, I sort of chatted more than I usually do... I hope you didn't find me boring. Well... I guess I should go now. I still need to muster enough energy to be sociable with my small animal friends who might drop by anytime to use me as cover.
Bye,
Bashful New England Aster
P.S. Goldenrod told me that I need to listen to the song "Brave"- I'm so lucky that my friend always wants to help me!
References:
Chmielewski, J., Semple, J. (2003). The biology of Canadian weeds. 125. Symphyotrichum ericoides (L.) Nesom ( Aster ericoides L.) and S. novae-angliae (L.) Nesom ( A. novae-angliae L.). Canadian Journal of Plant Science. 83. 1017-1037. https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/pdf/10.4141/P01-179
Jacke, D., Toensmeier, E. (2005). Edible Forest Gardens: Volume Two. White River Junction: Chelsea Green Publishing Company, pp 468-9.
“New England Aster” (n.d.). Michigan State University Extension: Native Plants and Ecosystem Services. https://www.canr.msu.edu/nativeplants/plant_facts/new_england_aster
Pivarnik, M. (2019, August 29). “Three Late Summer Herbs and How to Use Them”. The Herbal Academy. https://theherbalacademy.com/late-summer-herbs/
“Symphyotrichum novae-angliae” (n.d.). Missouri Botanical Garden. https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=b540
Taylor, D. (n.d.). “Plant of the Week: New England Aster”. Forest Service: U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/symphyotrichum_novae-angliae.shtml
Tucker, J (n.d.). “October: New England Aster: Symphyotrichum novae-angliae”. Santa Fe Botanical Garden. https://santafebotanicalgarden.org/plant-of-the-month-october-2019/
Wall Kimmerer, R. (2013). Braiding Sweetgrass. Minneapolis: Milkweed Editions, p 46.
Winslow, S.R. (2005, January). “Plant Materials Technical Note: New England Aster”. United States Departmet of Agriculture. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_PLANTMATERIALS/publications/mtpmctn12541.pdf
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