Symphyotrichum, Glaucous Aster, Michaelmas Daisy, Smooth Blue Aster 'Bluebird'

Rating neutral as new in my garden. Plant inground, sandy slope.

This is one of the best asters for the northeastern US. Medium violet-blue 1 1/4 to 1 1/2" flowers in profusion from mid September to mid...Read More October. Smooth, blue-green foliage that's generally free of the diseases that commonly afflict aster here, and does not defoliate at the base.

I find that, like most tall asters, this comes in more densely and is less likely to need staking if cut back by a third in late spring.

This got the highest rating for landscape performance of the 56 asters evaluated by the Mt. Cuba Center in their 2006 report, tied with turbinate aster, S. turbinellum.

http://www.mtcubacenter.org/images/PDFs-and-SWFs/Mt_Cuba_Rep...

Tall 4' Plant 20" apart. zone 4-9 End of season flowering for Northern gardens. Superb in warmer areas. Deep sky blue flower clusters in ...Read Moreprofusion a top vase-shaped plants. Perfect form of our native asters.
Very late bloomer.

Mildew Resistant