Symphyotrichum lentum

Suisun marsh aster

Family: Asteraceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Suisun marsh aster is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in southern Sacramento Valley, Central Coast, and San Francisco Bay bioregions in marshes at elevations below 300 meters. Flowering from May to November, this plant produces violet ray flowers 8 to 14 millimeters long in open clusters. Growing with stems 40 to 150 centimeters tall that are nearly hairless, it spreads through long rhizomes. Its leaves are linear to narrowly lance-shaped, 5 to 15 centimeters long, sessile, and generally glabrous. The fruit is distinctively hairy.

Habitat: Marshes

Bloom period: May-Nov

Elevation: < 300 m

Bioregions: s ScV, CCo, SnFrB.

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