calico aster - Species Profile
Overview • Description • Distribution • Taxonomy
Overview
Calico aster, also known as side-flowering aster, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is native to North America, where it can be found in a variety of habitats, including meadows, prairies, and woodland edges.
Description
Calico aster is a perennial herbaceous plant with a typical height of 2-4 feet (60-120 cm).
The stem is slender, smooth, branch, and reddish-brown. The root system is fibrous and rhizomatous, which allows the plant to spread and form clumps over time.
The leaves are alternate, simple, and lance-shaped to egg-shaped. They are green and can be rough to the touch. They gradually decrease in size up the stem.
The inflorescence consists of numerous small flowers arranged in clusters along the stem. The flowers are about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter and have a cream-colored or light yellow center with white to pinkish-purple petals. The petals are usually notched at the tips, and the outer ones are slightly larger than the inner ones. The flowers bloom from late summer to early fall, typically from August to October.
After the flowers have bloomed, they give way to small, dry, brownish-black achenes (seed capsules) that are dispersed by the wind.
Distribution
Sources
Biodiversity occurrence data published by: Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas (accessed through the Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Portal, bellatlas.umn.edu. Accessed 9/15/2025).
Midwest Herbaria Portal. 2026. https://midwestherbaria.org/portal/index.php. Accessed 9/15/2025.
Symphyotrichum lateriflorum (L.) Á.Löve & D.Löve in Bánki, O., Roskov, Y., Döring, M., Ower, G., Hernández Robles, D. R., Plata Corredor, C. A., Stjernegaard Jeppesen, T., Örn, A., Pape, T., Hobern, D., Garnett, S., Little, H., DeWalt, R. E., Miller, J., Orrell, T., Aalbu, R., Abbott, J., Abreu, C., Acero P, A., et al. (2026). Catalogue of Life (2026-08-26 XR). Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgyy9
Taxonomy
Kingdom
Subkingdom
Pteridobiotina
Phylum
Tracheophyta (Vascular Plants)
Class
Order
Asterales (Sunflowers, Bellflowers, Fanflowers, and Allies)
Family
Asteraceae (Sunflowers, Daisies, Asters, and Allies)
Subfamily
Asteroideae
Supertribe
Asterodae
Tribe
Astereae (Asters and Allies)
Subtribe
Symphyotrichinae
Genus
Symphyotrichum (American Asters)
Subgenus
Symphyotrichum (Common American Asters)
Section
Symphyotrichum (Bushy, Eastern, Heart-leaved, and Old Field Asters)
Subsection
Dumosi (Bushy Asters)
Genus
This and other asters were formerly place in the genus Aster. That genus was problematic, in that it did not include just one common ancestor with all of its lineal descendants and no others – it was polyphyletic. In 1994, the genus Symphyotrichum was resurrected to include most North American asters formerly in the genus Aster.
Subordinate Taxa
calico aster (Symphyotrichum lateriflorum var. flagellare)
calico aster (Symphyotrichum lateriflorum var. horizontale) 
calico aster (Symphyotrichum lateriflorum var. lateriflorum)
calico aster (Symphyotrichum lateriflorum var. spatelliforme)
narrow-leaved calico aster (Symphyotrichum lateriflorum var. angustifolium)
rough-stemmed calico aster (Symphyotrichum lateriflorum var. hirsuticaule)
slender-stalked calico aster (Symphyotrichum lateriflorum var. tenuipes)
Synonyms
Aster acadiensis
Aster agrostifolius
Aster bellidiflorus var. rigidulus
Aster bifrons
Aster diffusus
Aster diffusus f. bifrons
Aster diffusus f. diffusus
Aster diffusus f. hirsuticaulis
Aster diffusus var. bifrons
Aster diffusus var. diffusus
Aster diffusus var. hirsuticaulis
Aster diffusus var. horizontalis
Aster diffusus var. variifolius
Aster divaricatus
Aster divergens
Aster divergens var. diffusus
Aster divergens var. divergens
Aster divergens var. humilior
Aster divergens var. pendulus
Aster hirsuticaulis
Aster horizontalis
Aster lateriflorus
Aster lateriflorus var. angustifolius
Aster lateriflorus var. bifrons
Aster lateriflorus var. flagellaris
Aster lateriflorus var. glomerullus
Aster lateriflorus var. grandis
Aster lateriflorus var. hirsuticaulis
Aster lateriflorus var. horizontalis
Aster lateriflorus var. indutus
Aster lateriflorus var. lateriflorus
Aster lateriflorus var. pendulus
Aster lateriflorus var. spatelliformis
Aster lateriflorus var. tenuipes
Aster miser
Aster miser var. abbreviatus
Aster miser var. diffusus
Aster miser var. divergens
Aster miser var. glomerellus
Aster miser var. hirsuticaulis
Aster miser var. miserrimus
Aster miser var. myrtifolius
Aster miser var. pendulus
Aster miser var. vimineus
Aster myrtifolius
Aster pendulus
Aster rigidulus
Aster scoparius
Aster seliger
Aster spatelliformis
Aster tenuipes
Aster tradescanti
Aster vimineus var. columbianus
Aster vimineus var. dubius
Aster vimineus var. vimineus
Solidago lateriflora
Symphyotrichum lateriflorum var. angustifolium
Symphyotrichum lateriflorum var. flagellare
Symphyotrichum lateriflorum var. hirsuticaule
Symphyotrichum lateriflorum var. horizontale
Symphyotrichum lateriflorum var. spatelliforme
Symphyotrichum lateriflorum var. tenuipes
Venatris salicifolius
Common Names
calico aster
farewell Summer
goblet aster
side-flowering aster
starving aster
