Flower profile
Late purple aster
Symphyotrichum patens
Late purple aster is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Arkansas it's most often seen in bloom in June–November.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Arkansas
Quick look
Symphyotrichum patens, commonly known as late purple aster or spreading aster, is a perennial, herbaceous plant found in the eastern United States.
- 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 31 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Arkansas. NatureServe
- In Arkansas, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–November. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 624 research-grade sightings of it in Arkansas, ranking #83 among the 109 flowers on our Arkansas list. iNaturalist
Late purple aster gift ideas
Handmade late purple aster gifts from independent makers.
🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.
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Late purple aster art print
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Late purple aster greeting card
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Late purple aster mug
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Late purple aster earrings
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Late purple aster embroidery pattern
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Late purple aster sticker
When does it bloom?
In Arkansas, most flowering sightings come in June–November.
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
- Arkansas
- No list Arkansas has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Arkansas ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Arkansas.
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: ME (SX). (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?
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
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 late purple aster in 31 states plus Washington, D.C.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia; District of Columbia.
Arkansas counties with USDA records: Benton, Boone, Bradley, Carroll, Clark, Cleburne, Cleveland, Conway, Craighead, Crawford, Cross, Dallas, Drew, Faulkner, Franklin, Fulton, Garland, Grant, Greene, Hot Spring, Howard, Independence, Izard, Jefferson, Johnson, Lafayette, Lawrence, Lee, Lincoln, Little River, Logan, Madison, Marion, Monroe, Montgomery, Nevada, Newton, Perry, Pike, Poinsett, Polk, Prairie, Pulaski, Randolph, Saline, Scott, Searcy, Sebastian, Stone, Union, Van Buren, Washington, White, Yell.
More Arkansas flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile SYPA11.
- iNaturalist, Symphyotrichum patens: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Symphyotrichum patens (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Arkansas: Arkansas State Plant Board noxious weeds and prohibited plants (2 CAR § 50-101).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Symphyotrichum patens (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
- Photo: Ken Clark via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.