Leaf
Andrea Moro, Wikimedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Italian aster
Aster amellus L.
Also known as: European Michaelmas daisy
Family: Asteraceae
30 to 60 cm tall
Dry meadows, banks, gardens, calcareous soils
Flowering: August – October
Full sun
Hardy to -25°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
One of the few truly native asters in France, unlike most garden asters, which come from North America.
🍃 Leaves
Ovate-lanceolate, slightly rough, bright green
🌸 Flowers
Mauve-violet flower heads with a yellow centre, many on a single clump
🍎 Fruits
Achenes topped with a pappus
🪵 Bark
Perennial herbaceous plant with upright, little-branched stems.
🗺️ Distribution
Europe, western Asia; fairly rare in France, found in dry calcareous grassland.
🐝 Value for pollinators
Late mauve flower heads very rich in nectar, important for butterflies and bees in late summer and autumn.
✂️ Horticultural uses
Perennial borders, edging; long autumn flowering until the first frosts.
⚠️ Possible toxicity
No known toxicity.
🌿 Other Asteraceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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