Aside from the changing colors of the leaves and the gradual drop in temperatures, one of the hallmarks of the Fall in my favorite outdoor spaces is the White Wood Aster (Eurybia divaricata). This low growing hardy native is one of the select few plants that can still thrive in dry, shady spots that otherwise prove too challenging for many herbaceous perennials.

Eurybia divaricata observed in Southern York County PA (Photo credit: Dan Stevenson, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay).

White Wood Aster occurs naturally in dry open woodlands with partial shade, growing to a height of approximately 3 feet and spreading vigorously by rhizomes and self seeding to form large colonies. While the aggressive nature of this plant may limit its applications in smaller gardens or more formal settings, it would serve well in naturalized gardens or mixed borders where it has some room to roam.

I always visualize White Wood Aster as a good replacement in the deep dry shade of mature landscape trees or the built environment where pachysandra and english ivy seem to be the only plants successfully growing. Fall asters and other wildflowers such as Eurybia divaricata provide floral resources to pollinators late into the growing season when most other flowers have finished blooming. Song birds are fond of the abundant tiny seeds that it produces, and can use the fluffy seed attachments (pappus) for nesting material.

Though not commonly used in modern times, the young leaves of the plant are edible when cooked and the plant has long been used medicinally by Native Americans for its anti-inflammatory and astringent properties. The White Wood Aster is also the host plant for the Silvery Checkerspot & Pearl Crescent butterflies, whose caterpillars  are able to feed on the leaves and stems of the plant to grow into their adult form. Bonus points to any of you that can tell the difference between these two out in the wild!!

Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nyectis) (left) & Pearl Crescent (Phycoides tharos) butterflies (Photo credit: MarylandBiodiversity.com (left), Alabama Butterfly Atlas (right)).

The White Wood Aster has begun blooming in the past few weeks here in South Central PA and will continue to grace us with its presence late into the fall season. Be sure to get out to your nearest wooded preserve or park this fall to enjoy this beautiful plant!

If you see something blooming, leafing out, ripening, or otherwise changing in your woods, send us photos (forestsforthebay@gmail.com) to include in next month’s Forests for the Bay newsletter for more phenological fun!