Symphyotrichum defoliatum

San bernardino aster, San Bernardino Aster

Family: Asteraceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

San bernardino aster is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in southern California Peninsular Ranges, southern California Transverse Ranges, and desert mountains in grasslands and disturbed places at elevations below 2,050 meters. Flowering from July to November, this plant produces white to pale violet ray flowers 8 to 12 millimeters long in dense, narrow cyme-like clusters. Growing with erect stems 40 to 100 centimeters tall that are strigose throughout, it develops a short to long rhizome. Its leaves range from 4 to 12 centimeters long, narrowly oblong to oblanceolate, with smaller leaves clustered in stem axils and covered in strigose hairs. The fruit is notably hairy, contributing to its distinctive appearance in grassland habitats.

Habitat: Grassland, disturbed places

Bloom period: Jul-Nov

Elevation: < 2050 m

Bioregions: SnGb, SnBr, PR.

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.