Frost aster is blooming across the US, and sightings are climbing fast
iNaturalist Community
Native Plants
The small white asters lining roadsides and meadow edges this week are frost aster, one of the last big nectar sources for native bees and migrating butterflies before winter, and it's easy to add to a fall garden.
Frost aster is a native wildflower with masses of tiny white daisy-like flowers that open in early fall. People across the US posted 912 photos of it this week, about 24 percent more than the week before. That jump lines up with the plant reaching peak bloom, so it's a great time to spot it on your own walks.
Key Findings
912 US iNaturalist observations of frost aster (Symphyotrichum pilosum) in the past 7 days, among the highest for any plant
Observations rose by 179 from 733 the previous week, roughly a 24% increase
The species belongs to the Asteraceae family and is being recorded during its fall bloom period
chevron_right Technical Summary
Frost aster, a native late-season wildflower, is showing up in large numbers on iNaturalist right now. Users logged 912 US sightings in the past week, up 179 from 733 the week before, as it hits peak bloom.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Trending: frost aster (Symphyotrichum pilosum) — 912 observations this week
Frost aster (Symphyotrichum pilosum) is a species in the family Asteraceae. iNaturalist users recorded 912 observations of it in the United States in the 7 days before today, among the most for any...
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Warming killed underground fungi and pushed meadows toward shrublands
Mountain meadows and wildflower-rich grasslands many people hike through and depend on for clean water and biodiversity are quietly transforming underground ...
Symphyotrichum pilosum is a perennial, herbaceous, flowering plant in the Asteraceae family native to central and eastern North America. It is commonly called hairy white oldfield aster, frost aster, white heath aster, heath aster, hairy aster, common old field aster, old field aster, awl aster, ...