Symphyotrichum foliaceum

Alpine leafybract aster

Family: Asteraceae · Type: perennial · Native

Alpine leafybract aster is a California native perennial found in alpine and subalpine meadows at high elevations. Flowering from July to September, this plant produces violet to purple ray flowers 12 to 25 millimeters long in clusters or solitary heads. Growing with stems that become slightly hairy toward the top, it reaches heights typical of alpine perennials with a long rhizome system. Its leaves are elliptic to obovate, mostly glabrous, and range from acute to obtuse with nearly entire margins. The plant's distinctive ray flowers and delicate leaf structure make it a characteristic component of high-elevation mountain ecosystems.

California counties: Mendocino, El Dorado, Siskiyou, Tulare, Tuolumne, Alpine, Modoc, Nevada, Riverside, Butte, Trinity, Mariposa, Lake, Fresno, Placer, Madera, Del Norte, Lassen

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