Georgia Aster | Symphyotrichum georgianum

🌿 Ships well rooted in a 3.5 x 5 inch deep pot. 

Georgia aster is rare not because it's difficult to grow, but because its habitat — open southeastern meadows and prairies — has largely disappeared. Growing one is a genuine conservation act. It also happens to be one of the most stunning fall natives in the Southeast: flowers over 2 inches across, the largest of any native aster, blooming in vivid violet-blue from late September through November when almost nothing else is still going. Bees work it hard right through frost. Pair it with goldenrod or native grasses, cut it back by half in midsummer for a bushier form, and let it spread steadily by rhizome into the generous clump it wants to become.

🌿 Latin Name: Symphyotrichum georgianum
🌞 Light: Full sun; open conditions essential
🌱 Soil: Well-drained, dry to average; tolerates lean and rocky ground; no wet feet
💧 Water: Drought-tolerant once established
📏 Mature Size: 2–4 ft tall; spreads by rhizome to 3–4 ft wide over time
🌸 Bloom Time: Late September through November
🗺️ Hardiness Zone: 3–9
🦋 Wildlife Value: Critical late-season nectar source for native bees, bumblebees, butterflies, and moths; deer resistant
🌱 Propagation Note: Plant at least two divisions for cross-pollination and best results; divide rhizomes in early spring