Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Asterids: Campanulids: Asterales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Symphyotrichum grandiflorum
FAMILY
Asteraceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Test-drive A Teaching Key to Asters.
Read more about Big-headed Aster at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Symphyotrichum grandiflorum
FAMILY
Asteraceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 19-20-21 (2006)
Symphyotrichum grandiflorum
SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Symphyotrichum grandiflorum
SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 179-47-018:
Aster grandiflorus FAMILY Asteraceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Aster grandiflorus
SYNONYMOUS WITH -
Virgulus grandiflorus
COMMON NAME:
Big-headed Aster, Rough Aster, Large-headed Aster, Largeflower Aster
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913 pnd_asgr_001_lvd
)
Keith Bradley kab_s_grandiflorum_4715
October Richmond County NC
North Carolina Sandhills Gamelands
)
Terry Holdsclaw tdh_s_grandiflorum
October Randolph County NC
)
Terry Holdsclaw tdh_s_grandiflorum_b
October Randolph County NC
A many-headed panicle with numerous small bracteal leaves. Heads w 20-30 rays, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).
)
Will Stuart wil_s_grandiflorum_1849
October Richmond NC
North Carolina Sandhills Gamelands
The infloresence a crowded cluster of blossoms, often on a tall (1m) stem. — Will Stuart
)
Will Stuart wil_s_grandiflorum_2078
October Richmond NC
North Carolina Sandhills Gamelands
Blossoms and bud detail showing distinct bracts and bracteal leaves. — Will Stuart
)
Will Stuart wil_s_grandiflorum_2227
October Richmond NC
North Carolina Sandhills Gamelands
Individual blossoms are large (3 cm) and often very showy. — Will Stuart
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Symphyotrichum grandiflorum
FAMILY
Asteraceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Symphyotrichum grandiflorum
FAMILY
Asteraceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 19-20-21
Symphyotrichum grandiflorum
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Symphyotrichum grandiflorum
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 179-47-018:
Aster grandiflorus
FAMILY
Asteraceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Aster grandiflorus
SYNONYMOUS WITH
-
Virgulus grandiflorus
3558
Forb
Perennial
Habitat: Dry woodlands, forest edges; roadbanks and powerline rights-of-way, per Weakley's Flora
Native to the Carolinas
Common in NC Piedmont, uncommon to rare elsewhere in GA-NC-SC
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
LEAVES:
Simple
Alternate (basal leaves absent or withered at flowering)
FLOWER:
Summer/Fall
Rays: Violet
Disc: Yellow becoming reddish-purple
Flower heads with 20-30 ray flowers
Inferior ovary
Disc flowers bisexual & fertile/ Ray flowers pistillate & fertile
Flower heads in raceme-like or panicle-like arrays, branches spreading or ascending
FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Dark brown
Achene
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Wildflowers of the Atlantic Southeast (Cotterman, Waitt, & Weakley, 2019) p436
- Wildflowers of the Sandhills Region (Sorrie, 2011) p149
If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
Or, to minimize chances of a misspelling, try just "Carex le".
Less is more: If "pencil flower" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "pencil".