Brace’s aster
Symphyotrichum tenuifolium
Asteraceae


Landscape Uses:

Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations.

Ecological Restoration Notes:

Most typically an understory herb in brackish marshes along the coast.
Availability:
Grown by enthusiasts.
Description:
Erect medium wildlflower with wiry zigzag stems.
Height:
About 1-3 feet in height. Taller than broad.
Growth Rate:
Moderate.
Range:
Monroe County Keys and Miami-Dade County north along the west coast to the Franklin County; Bahamas and Cuba.
Habitats:
Marshes and pinelands, often in brackish soils.
Soils:
Wet to moist, periodically inundated brackish, sometimes freshwater, soils.
Nutritional Requirements:
Moderate; can grow in nutrient poor soils, but needs some organic content to thrive.
Salt Water Tolerance:
Moderate; tolerates brackish water or occasional inundation by salt water.
Salt Wind Tolerance:
Moderate; grows near salt water, but is protected from direct salt spray by other vegetation.
Drought Tolerance:
Low; requires moist to wet soils and is intolerant of long periods of drought.
Light Requirements:
Full sun.
Flower Color:
Pale blue or whitish.
Flower Characteristics:
Semi-showy.
Flowering Season:
Fall-winter.
Fruit:
Inconspicuous achene.
Wildlife and Ecology:
Attracts native bees and other beneficial insects.
Horticultural Notes:
Comments:
The zigzag stem of this species is quite noticable. See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's Flower Friday page.


Chuck McCartney
Emily Bell, 2022
Emily Bell, 2022
Emily Bell, 2022