Symphyotrichum kentuckiense

Price's Aster, Kentucky Aster, Lavender Oldfield Aster

Symphyotrichum kentuckiense (Britt.) Medley is native to limestone cedar glades and broken limestone roadsides in southern Kentucky, central Tennessee, northern Alabama, and northwestern Georgia (Brouillet et al. 2006; FNA as Sy. priceae). Medley (2021) noted that the type material of Aster priceae did not match the always glabrous plants he observed in the field and was likely of hybrid origin involving S. pilosum var. pilosum while type material of Aster kentuckiensis Britt. did match with plants in the field.  This is the only species in subsect. Porteriani that usually has blue-violet rays (pink and white morphs occur) and is the only octoploid (2n=64) in the subsection.  The phyllaries are long tapering. The stems and leaf surfaces are hairless.  It can grow sympatrically with S. pilosum.

Symphyotrichum kentuckiense blooms earlier than S. pilosum var. pilosum.