(Smooth White Aster)
Symphyotrichum porteri, George Stadler Rd., Rist Canyon, Larimer Co. 2304
Symphyotrichum porteri, George Stadler Rd., Rist Canyon, Larimer Co. 2318
Symphyotrichum porteri, George Stadler Rd., Rist Canyon, Larimer Co. 2320
Symphyotrichum porteri, George Stadler Rd., Rist Canyon, Larimer Co. 2331
Symphyotrichum porteri, George Stadler Rd., Rist Canyon, Larimer Co. 2316
| Scientific Name | Symphyotrichum porteri | USDA PLANTS Symbol | SYPO4 |
| Common Name | Smooth White Aster, Porter Aster | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 522235 |
| Family | Asteraceae (Sunflower) | SEINet Reference |
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| Description |
Life zones and habitat: Plains to Montane (4900 to 9500 ft.); meadows, pine forests and roadsides. Plant: Erect perennial with 1 to 4 (or more) smooth, branching stems, 8 to 20 inches tall. Leaves: Thin blades with smooth surfaces, acute, mucronate tips and with edges that are sometimes very sparsely serrulate toward the tips; basal and lower stem leaves have oblanceolate to obovate or spatulate, lanceolate to linear-oblanceolate blades, up to 3+ inches long, 1/4-inch wide that are usually withered by flowering time; upper stem leaves have linear-lanceolate to linear blades up to 2-3/8 inches long, and 1/8-inch wide that are sessile. Inflorescence: Leafy arrays of white composite flowers on peduncles up to about 1-inch long and having 1 to 3 leaf-like bracts; flowers are about 3/4-inch across with 20 to 34 or more white rays and 40 to 75+ disk florets in the center that are yellow later becoming brownish; involucres are nearly bell-shaped with 4 to 6 layers of unequal-length, smooth phyllaries with pointed tips. Bloom Period: July to October. References: "Flora of Colorado" by Jennifer Ackerfield, "Guide to Colorado Wildflowers" by G.K. Guennel, iNaturalist and Flora of North America. |
BONAP Distribution Map Map Color Key | Colorado Status: Native |
© Tom Lebsack 2024
Banner photo: Castilleja rhexifolia and a brewing storm over the San Juan Mountains