New England aster is blanketing meadows and roadsides right now
iNaturalist Community
Native Plants
That burst of purple you're seeing along trails and in unmowed ditches is a critical late-season nectar source for migrating monarchs and other pollinators stocking up before frost.
New England aster is a tall, purple-flowered native plant that blooms in early fall, and right now it's one of the most-spotted plants on iNaturalist with over 1,200 sightings logged in just one week. This spike means the plant is at peak bloom across its range, which makes it an easy species for anyone to identify and add to a garden or wild patch for fall color and pollinator support.
Key Findings
1,229 research-grade observations of Symphyotrichum novae-angliae were logged in a single week
The species ranks among the most-observed plants on iNaturalist during this period
High observation volume aligns with peak bloom timing in late summer to early fall
chevron_right Technical Summary
New England aster is having a big bloom moment, with over 1,200 research-grade sightings logged on iNaturalist this week as its purple flowers peak across late-summer meadows and roadsides.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Trending: New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) — 1229 observations this week
New England aster is among the most observed plant species this week with 1229 research-grade observations.
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
Species Mentioned
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Symphyotrichum novae-angliae is a species of flowering plant in the aster family (Asteraceae) native to central and eastern North America. Commonly known as New England aster, hairy Michaelmas-daisy, or Michaelmas daisy, it is a perennial, herbaceous plant usually between 30 and 120 centimeters t...