Symphyotrichum urophyllum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Symphyotrichum urophyllum |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Symphyotrichum
|
| Species: |
urophyllum
|
| Synonyms | |
|
|
Symphyotrichum urophyllum (also known as Aster urophyllus) is a pretty flowering plant. It belongs to the Asteraceae family, which includes daisies and sunflowers. You can find this plant growing naturally in eastern North America. People often call it the arrowleaf aster because of its unique leaf shape.
What Does the Arrowleaf Aster Look Like?
The arrowleaf aster is a perennial plant, meaning it lives for many years. It is also an herbaceous plant, which means it has soft, green stems instead of woody ones. These plants usually grow between 40 to 120 centimeters (about 1.3 to 4 feet) tall.
Arrowleaf asters often grow in clumps, with one to five straight stems coming from the same spot. Their leaves are wide, thin, and have jagged edges. They are shaped like an arrow, and their leaf stems (called petioles) are wide and flat.
The plant has many flowers grouped together in a pyramid shape. This group of flowers is called an inflorescence. The individual flowers are actually made up of many tiny flowers. The outer "petals" are called ray florets and are white. The tiny flowers in the center are called disc florets. They start out white or cream-colored and then turn pink.
Why Did Its Name Change?
The arrowleaf aster, Symphyotrichum urophyllum, used to be part of a much larger group of plants called Aster. Its old name was Aster urophyllus.
However, scientists who study plant names (called taxonomists) found that the old Aster group included plants that were not closely related. This is called being polyphyletic. To make the plant groups more accurate, many North American asters, including this one, were moved to a new group called Symphyotrichum.
For a while, there was some confusion about the arrowleaf aster's name. It was sometimes called Symphyotrichum sagittifolium. But now, most experts agree that S. urophyllum is the correct name for this plant.
Where Does the Arrowleaf Aster Grow?
The arrowleaf aster is native to a large area in eastern North America. In the United States, you can find it from Maine all the way down to Florida, and as far west as Nebraska. It also grows in Ontario, Canada.
This plant likes to grow in open, sunny places. It prefers soils that are dry to moderately moist. You can often spot arrowleaf asters in places like open fields (called meadows), along the edges of forests, on hillsides (called bluffs), and next to roads.
