Symphyotrichum prenanthoides

Crooked-stem Aster

Symphyotrichum prenanthoides (Muhl.) Nesom occurs in moist or swampy grounds, woods, thickets, meadows, seeps, stream banks, roadsides in southern Ontario and the northern states in the eastern US and further south in the mountains and disjunct in southwestern Wisconsin and adjacent states (Brouillet et al. 2006; FNA). Stems are usually flexuous and the serrate leaf blade narrowed below the mid point and the base is flared and clasping the stem. Rays are usually lavender to blue, rarely white. Symphyotrichum prenanthoides is of conservation concern in Canada and in a number of states. The species is tetraploid 2n=32.