Barrens Silky Aster
Symphyotrichum pratenseBarrens Silky Aster is a perennial wildflower native to Central Texas that grows 1–2 ft tall and 2 ft wide. It wants full sun or part shade and low water, and handles caliche and clay soil. Blooms purple in Sep–Nov. Evergreen — it holds its leaves through winter. Good for bees and butterflies.
Will it grow in your yard?
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The facts
4 sources- Type
- Perennial wildflower
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade (3–7 hrs of direct sun)
- Water
- Low
- Height
- 1–2 ft
- Spread
- 2 ft
- Bloom
- Sep–Nov · purple
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Soil
- Takes caliche and clay · recorded on calcareous, caliche, clay, dry, limestone, loam, sand, well drained
- Wildlife
- Supports bees, browsing mammals and butterflies
Where it grows
Recorded in these EPA Level IV ecoregions in the Austin and Hill Country launch area:
48 occurrence records in Central Texas (GBIF).
Can you buy it?
Also grows here — hard to find. Native and recorded growing in Central Texas, but not on the grower stock lists we read. Sourcing varies: some are stocked widely, others you will have to hunt for.