Symphyotrichum subulatum

Annual saltmarsh aster

Family: Asteraceae · Type: annual · Native

Annual saltmarsh aster is a California native annual found in coastal and Central Valley regions in saltmarsh and wetland habitats. Flowering from June to October, this plant produces white to pink or lavender ray flowers in delicate open clusters, each flower less than 7 millimeters long. Growing with erect stems 20 to 90 centimeters tall that are nearly smooth and light green, it develops slender linear to oblanceolate leaves. Its leaves are generally 2 to 9 centimeters long, ranging from sessile to slightly attached, with a smooth surface and pointed tips. The plant produces slightly hairy fruits in loose, open clusters characteristic of aster species.

California counties: San Bernardino, Riverside, Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Kern, San Diego, Napa, Solano, Alameda, San Luis Obispo, Santa Clara, Merced, San Joaquin, Sutter, Sacramento, Butte, Yolo, Colusa, Contra Costa, Glenn, Marin, Stanislaus, Santa Barbara, Tulare, Monterey, Ventura

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