Tennessee Native Plant Society
Native Plant of the Month
December, 2006
Barrens Silky Aster
Aster pratensis
This beautiful aster is a rare southeastern endemic inhabitant of barrens and prairie remnants. The amethyst
flowers are large, up to 1.5 inches in diameter, and are found at the ends of wiry branches in few-flowered
clusters. The plants are 1 to 2 feet tall, with a few branches starting at the mid-point of the stem. Below this
point the stem loses its leaves before flowering in late fall and continuing until the first hard freeze. The
common name is derived from the thin, silky hairs that lie flat along the leaf surface.
