Heart-shaped leaves of Heart-leaved Aster are visible with the wand of flowers coming up from them.
A wand of Heart-leaved Aster flowers are in view with the green leaves in the background.
This is a close-up of a heart-shaped serrated leaf of Heart-leaved aster.
A pale flowered Heart-leaved Aster plant is in the woods.
A close-up of Heart-leaved Aster flowers with pale lavender ray florets and cream colored disc florets.
Heart-shaped leaves of Heart-leaved Aster are visible with the wand of flowers coming up from them.
A wand of Heart-leaved Aster flowers are in view with the green leaves in the background.
This is a close-up of a heart-shaped serrated leaf of Heart-leaved aster.
A pale flowered Heart-leaved Aster plant is in the woods.
A close-up of Heart-leaved Aster flowers with pale lavender ray florets and cream colored disc florets.

Heart-leaved Aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium)

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Heart-leaved Aster, also known as Blue Wood Aster, usually has pale purple to blue flowers, but they can be quite pale (see photos.). The leaves are serrate and come to an acute point at one end and a heart-shape nearer the stem. The petioles (leaf stems) are not winged, or at most slightly winged.

True Heart-leaved Aster plants grow to about 2 feet tall. I have seen hybrids of this plant that grow taller and have smaller flowers. Asters, in general, are quite capable of cross pollinating and there are a lot of hybrids that can be found which can make them tricky, and sometimes frustrating, to identify!

Heart-leaved Aster spreads by rhizome and while they don’t seem to get too carried away in the woodlands, in the home garden, they can spread rapidly. If you’d like this plant in your woodland garden, be prepared to control it a bit.

Heart-leaved Aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium)

Michigan Flora reference page for state distribution: Heart-leaved Aster

height: 2 feet

bloom time: Sept-Nov.

soil: medium

sun: partial, shade

plant spacing: 12”

flower: bluish/purplish, can be quite pale

life cycle: perennial

family: Asteraceae

seed source: Michigan

Sizes:

Heart-leaved Aster, also known as Blue Wood Aster, usually has pale purple to blue flowers, but they can be quite pale (see photos.). The leaves are serrate and come to an acute point at one end and a heart-shape nearer the stem. The petioles (leaf stems) are not winged, or at most slightly winged.

True Heart-leaved Aster plants grow to about 2 feet tall. I have seen hybrids of this plant that grow taller and have smaller flowers. Asters, in general, are quite capable of cross pollinating and there are a lot of hybrids that can be found which can make them tricky, and sometimes frustrating, to identify!

Heart-leaved Aster spreads by rhizome and while they don’t seem to get too carried away in the woodlands, in the home garden, they can spread rapidly. If you’d like this plant in your woodland garden, be prepared to control it a bit.

Heart-leaved Aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium)

Michigan Flora reference page for state distribution: Heart-leaved Aster

height: 2 feet

bloom time: Sept-Nov.

soil: medium

sun: partial, shade

plant spacing: 12”

flower: bluish/purplish, can be quite pale

life cycle: perennial

family: Asteraceae

seed source: Michigan

Consider adding Heart-leaved Aster or Short’s Aster to your woodland garden to supply needed nectar and pollen to fall insects. Birds will eat the seeds that are produced.