Aster laevis 'Bluebird' Smooth Aster (syn. Symphyotrichum laeve)

A superlative selection of the native smooth aster introduced by Dr. Richard Lighty of the Mt.Cuba Center. This tall, vase-shaped wildflower has large 1" diameter blue flowers held in cloud-like clusters at the tips of the arching branches. You can pinch back the young shoots in June for denser habit and more flowers, but it is not essential. Staking is helpful by late summer if you forget to pinch. Perfectly clean foliage makes for easy maintenance in production and in the landscape. Aster laevis is a great source of nectar for migrating monarchs and other late season butterflies.

Height 3-4 Feet Spacing 12 Inches

Bloom Color Lavender USDA Hardiness

Zone 4-8

Ranked as the #1 aster in an evaluation study at Mt. Cuba Center, this herbaceous perennial produces abundant, violet blue flowers on 3-4’ tall stems as fall color begins in the surrounding forest. It has attractive, slightly glossy, bluish-green foliage that is virtually pest-free. Bluebird smooth aster thrives in full sun to light shade with a broad tolerance of soil types and moisture levels. It makes an excellent perennial border specimen, meadow component or used in mass plantings.- Mt. Cuba Center

This smooth aster cultivar is a robust, upright plant with arching stems. Typically grows to 3' tall. Loose panicle-like clusters of 1" diameter asters with violet blue rays and yellow centers cover the upper parts of this plant in a profuse September-October bloom. Smooth, mostly toothless, blue-green foliage (to 4" long). Attractive to butterflies. Smooth aster is agreeably tolerant of a range of soils and moisture levels, but it grows best in full sun and average to dry soil. 'Bluebird' will grow and bloom in part shade, but may need support and its blooms will be fewer.

Deer Resistant

Attractive to Butterflies

Full Sun to Part Sun

Average to Dry Soil