XWhite Heath Aster (Symphyotrichum ericoides)X
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White Heath Aster -or- Many-flowered Aster (Symphyotrichum ericoides) -or- (Virgulus ericoides), family Asteraceae (Aster)
This perennial herb is a native to North America. It was a sweet sight to see late in the bloom season for wildflowers. The plants were profuse in the grassy, rather dry area, where we spotted them. They made such a nice color spot in an otherwise unremarkable landscape - for wildflowers anyway. The former genus Virgulus seems to be no more. Currently the genus Symphyotrichum appears to be the botanical choice of the day. The genus hosts about 90 species. Our species is distributed generously across the United States, while several species also occur in the West Indies, Central and South America, as well as in eastern Eurasia, per WIKIPEDIA. Not much specific information about uses or lore seems to be available for our specific specimen.
Folklore: This wonderful article on ASTERS was written by Gregg Pasterick, Myth and Folklore: Where the cosmos is concerned, perhaps no wildflower wrapped in the musty, tattered cloth of myth was associated with the stars like the aster. Aster, after all, is from the Greek, meaning...yep...star. Astrologers regard it as an herb of Venus. No wonder it has turned up in love divinations in many countries. It has had many uses, mystical and otherwise. Asters were burned by the Greeks to drive away serpents, while the Romans dressed up altars to the gods with wreaths of aster blossoms. In China, according to the Feng Su Chi, the people of Li lived well past the 100 years because the water they drank was flavored by the asters growing up in the surrounding hills. The Chippewa Indians smoked the dried, powdered root of an aster species to attract game. The aroma of the smoke was believed to be similar to that of a deer's hoof. As a consequence, deer were compelled to approach the hunter smoking aster root. In some Native American tribes, asters are associated with Bear, the most powerful of all mystical beings. According to some legends, Bear gave mankind a particularly powerful medicine, the aster root. It is named for Bear - Bear Root or Bear Medicine - and is regarded as being the next best thing to a panacea. During curing ceremonies, the Shaman would chew Bear Root. It would induce a trance in which the Shaman could "see" the witch who caused the sickness in his patient. Among the Zuni, asters - the entire plant - were ground between stones in the fraternity chamber at noon, during an elaborate ceremony of the preparation of the fraternity medicine. This was done by the "Great Mother" of the fraternity, while accompanied by rattle, drum and song. End quote.
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Plant location: Clear Creek Trail in Arvada Colorado was the location of these thriving plants. October 6, 2008. This species is a plains and foothills dweller. It could be seen on dry grounds, sandy hillsides, and openings in woods.Plant -
Bloom season: July to October.Foliage -
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