Symphyotrichum foliaceum var. parryi

Parry's aster

Family: Asteraceae · Type: perennial · Native

Parry's aster is a California native perennial found in northwestern California, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, San Bernardino Mountains, San Jacinto Mountains, and Warner Mountains in open woodland to alpine meadows at elevations of 1,400 to 2,800 meters. Flowering from July to August, this plant produces white to lavender flowers in clusters of 1 to 12 heads with distinctive green phyllaries. Growing with stems 10 to 40 centimeters tall, it spreads in clumped or slightly ascending form. Its leaves range from 5 to 12 centimeters long, typically narrow and elongated, characteristic of alpine and woodland aster species. The plant demonstrates remarkable adaptability, with chromosome variations that allow it to thrive in diverse mountain habitats.

Habitat: Open woodland to alpine meadows

Bloom period: Jul-Aug

Elevation: 1400-2800 m

Bioregions: NW, CaR, SN, SnBr, SnJt, Wrn

California counties: Tulare, Siskiyou, Butte, El Dorado, Humboldt, Shasta, Modoc, Mono, Lassen, Tuolumne, Tehama, Nevada, Fresno, Kern, Plumas, Calaveras, Placer, Amador, Alpine, Mendocino, Inyo, Madera, Trinity, Mariposa

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