Rice button aster

Pictured above: Rice button aster (Symphyotrichum dumosum) by Julie Tew. Click on terms for botanical definitions. View post as a PDF.

Also known as Bushy aster, Rice button aster (Symphyotrichum dumosum) is a perennial herbaceous wildflower. Like other Symphyotrichum species, it is a profuse bloomer. Its flowers are small (3/8- to 3/4-inch in diameter) and borne in terminal panicles. Ray florets vary in color from white to pink to lavender. Disk florets are yellow to reddish and may fade as the flower ages. Bracts are smooth and whitish. Leaves are linear, sessile and alternately arranged. Stems are slim and branched. 

Rice button aster occurs naturally in sandhills, pine flatwoods and hammocks. It blooms primarily in September through December, although it has been known to bloom throughout the year. Rice button aster attracts many pollinators, particularly butterflies and native bees. The plant is a larval host for the Pearl crescent butterfly.

Members of the Symphyotrichum genus were once classified in the genus Aster, which contained over 600 species. All have since been reclassified into 10 different genera. The genus name Symphyotrichum is from the Greek sýmphysis, meaning “growing together,” and thríx, or “hair.” It refers to a basal ring of hairs or bristles (pappi) thought to occur on New England aster (Aster novi-belgii, now Symphyotrichum novi-belgii); however, this characteristic is absent in most modern Symphyotrichum species.

Family: Asteraceae (Aster, daisy or composite family)
Native range: Throughout Florida
To see where natural populations of Rice button aster have been vouchered, visit florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/. 
Soil: Moderately moist to dry sandy acidic soils
Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Growth habit: 2–3+’ tall
Propagation: Seed
Florida regions of landscape suitability: North, Central, South
Garden tips: Rice button aster is easy to propagate and adaptable to a variety of growing conditions, making it an ideal plant for the home landscape. It does best in mixed wildflower plantings. Rice button aster spreads by suckering and may require some thinning to keep it under control.

Plants are often available from nurseries that specialize in Florida native plants. Visit PlantRealFlorida.org to find a nursery in your area.

Learn more about Rice button aster from the Florida Native Plant Society and the Institute for Regional Conservation.

For information on other Symphyotrichum species, see these resources:

Eastern silver aster

Eastern silver aster (Symphyotrichum concolor) is a winsome wildflower found in Florida’s pineland habitats. It typically blooms in fall but may bloom in summer and early winter.

Read more… Eastern silver aster

Calico aster

Calico aster (Symphyotrichum lateriflorum) is a lovely fall-blooming aster that occurs in a wide variety of habitats — from forests to marshes and wet prairies — and ranges across Eastern and into Central North America.

Read more… Calico aster

Simmond’s aster

Simmond’s aster (Symphyotrichum simmondsii) is endemic to the Southeastern Coastal Plain and while recorded from the Carolinas to Alabama, it is most prevalent throughout peninsular Florida.

Read more… Simmond’s aster

Perennial saltmarsh aster

Perennial saltmarsh aster (Symphyotrichum tenuifolium) is one of the few large-flowered species present among the grasses and rushes of the salt marsh. It plays an important ecological role for native bees!

Read more… Perennial saltmarsh aster

Walter’s aster

Walter’s aster (Symphyotrichum walteri) in late fall and early winter, providing nectar and pollen to butterflies, bees and other pollinators at a time when floral resources are limited.

Read more… Walter’s aster

Scaleleaf aster

Scaleleaf aster (Symphyotrichum adnatum) is hardly noticeable when not in bloom. But in late fall and early winter, its copious periwinkle blooms make for a showy display.

Read more… Scaleleaf aster

Georgia aster

Georgia aster (Symphyotrichum georgianum) is a magnet for bees and butterflies. Its flowers are distinguishable from other Symphyotrichum species by their relatively large size and deep violet-colored ray petals.

Read more… Georgia aster

Elliott’s aster

Elliott’s aster (Symphyotrichum elliottii) is a perennial wildflower and wonderful plant for attracting butterflies, bees and other pollinators due to its many fragrant blooms.

Read more… Elliott’s aster