Bloomipedia
Heath aster (Symphyotrichum ericoides)
Photo: waldo_jeffers via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Heath aster

Symphyotrichum ericoides

Native to North Dakota

Heath aster is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states.

42states
61ND sightings*
5,951U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: North Dakota

Quick look

Symphyotrichum ericoides, with common names white heath aster, frost aster, and heath aster, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae native to much of central and eastern North America. It has been introduced to parts of Europe and western Asia.

  • It belongs to the Asteraceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 42 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to North Dakota. NatureServe
  • iNaturalist has 61 research-grade sightings of it in North Dakota, ranking #100 among the 109 flowers on our North Dakota list. iNaturalist

Heath aster gift ideas

Handmade heath aster gifts from independent makers.

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When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (416 records)

There are only a handful of North Dakota flowering records, so this chart uses records from across the U.S.

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
North Dakota
No list North Dakota has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's North Dakota ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in North Dakota.
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: DE (SH), GA (S1), MS (S2), TN (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. NC State Extension

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records heath aster in 42 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.

North Dakota counties with USDA records: Adams, Barnes, Billings, Bottineau, Cavalier, Dickey, Divide, Dunn, Eddy, Emmons, Foster, Golden Valley, Grant, LaMoure, McHenry, Morton, Mountrail, Nelson, Pembina, Ransom, Renville, Richland, Sargent, Sioux, Slope, Stark, Towner, Walsh, Wells, Williams.

More North Dakota flowers

Common yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Common yarrow

Achillea millefolium

Native

🌼 Blooms in ND: June–October
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)

Black-eyed Susan

Rudbeckia hirta

★ MD state flowerNative

🌼 Blooms in ND: June–September
Bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare)

Bull thistle

Cirsium vulgare

Introduced

🌼 Few flowering records in ND

Sources