Douglas Aster (Symphyotrichum subspicatum) has an extensive range that spans from Alaska to Baja and as far east as the Dakotas. It features many clusters of showy, daisy-like flowers with vibrant white-to-periwinkle petals and golden composite centers. A highly adaptable, rhizomatous perennial, Douglas Aster can thrive in a wide variety of habitats, including open slopes, prairie, forest edges, and disturbed areas. Along the coast, the species can especially be found in salt marshes and along the banks of brackish waterways, where its salt-tolerant rhizomes easily spread throughout the muck and clay soils, providing important habitat and erosion control in these harsh intertidal environments. 
 
Douglas Aster blooms in late summer to early fall, typically from August to October. The profusion of flowers creates a stunning display in natural areas and gardens, attracting pollinators during a time when other nectar sources may become scarce. This resilient plant is known for its ability to attract and support an incredible diversity of pollinators across several regions, making it a vital resource for native bees, bumblebees, butterflies, hummingbirds, syrphid flies and other beneficial insects. Douglas Aster serves as a host plant for the caterpillars of several species, including the Isabella Tiger moth (Pyrrharctia isabella), Crescent (Phyciodes spp.) and Painted Lady butterflies (Vanessa cardui). The late-blooming flowers also provide a crucial late-season food source for migrating butterflies.
 
Douglas Aster thrives in a wide variety of soils, from well-drained sand and gravelly soils to waterlogged loam and clay soils. The seeds germinate easily, though may be a little slow to start, and can be sown from early spring through summer if the soil is kept moist. We recommend surface sowing a tiny pinch of the fluffy seed per cell or pot and gently watering into the soil. For seeding larger areas, it is ideal to first mix with sand or fine soil thoroughly before broadcasting.