Symphyotrichum cordifolium (Aster cordifolius) / Heart Leaved Aster

Symphyotrichum cordifolium is an excellent aster for shade or partial shade. Several small, light blue flowers await your fall pollinators! Its heart-shaped leaves make a lovely ground cover in spring. It grows to over 2 feet tall and prefers average to moderately dry soil conditions. This shade-tolerant aster has several names: blue woodland aster, heart-leaved aster, and broadleaf aster.

Other more evocative names include... bee weed, blue devil, West Virginia stick weed!

We love plants with bad reputations! Here's a great rebel for your shady garden!

Symphyotrichum cordifolium (Aster cordifolius) / Heart Leaved Aster, Heart Leaved Aster
Height: 60 cm | Width: 45 cm | Spacing: 45 cm
Exposure: Part sun / Shade
Flowering: Blue, autumn

Outdoors: direct sew in fall. Indoors: cold stratification, lightly over with soil, keep moist. Aster for shade!  Outdoors: direct sowing in autumn.

Indoors: cold stratify, cover lightly with soil, keep moist.

The Wild Seed Project has an excellent overview of this plant:

https://wildseedproject.net/2015/09/symphyotrichum-cordifolium-formerly-aster-cordifolius-heart-leaved-american-aster-asteraceae/