Symphyotrichum subspicatum

Douglas aster, Douglas Aster

Family: Asteraceae · Type: perennial · Native

Douglas aster is a California native perennial found in northwestern California, the Cascade Range, central western California, and the Modoc Plateau in open disturbed places at elevations below 1,000 meters. Flowering from July to September, this plant produces vibrant violet ray flowers 8 to 16 millimeters long in open clusters. Growing with stems 40 to 120 centimeters tall that are moderately hairy toward the upper portions, it spreads through a long underground rhizome. Its leaves range from oblanceolate to elliptic, varying from entire to slightly serrate, with a somewhat hairy surface and positioned both at the base and along the stem. The fruit is characteristically hairy, contributing to the plant's distinctive appearance.

Habitat: Open disturbed places

Bloom period: Jul-Sep

Elevation: < 1000 m

Bioregions: NW, CaR, CW, MP

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