|                    Rice button aster, Bushy aster
                      |  
              
                |                    Symphyotrichum dumosum
                      |  
              
                |                    Asteraceae 
                      |  
  
              
                 Landscape Uses:
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                 Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. | 
               
                Ecological Restoration Notes:  | 
               
              
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                | Availability: | 
               
              
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                 Rarely grown by native plant nurseries. | 
               
              
                | Description: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Medium herbaceous wildflower. | 
               
              
                | Height: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Typically 2-4 feet in height. | 
               
              
                | Growth Rate: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Moderate to fast. | 
               
              
                | Range: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Widespread in eastern North America west to Texas and south to the Monroe County Keys. | 
               
              
                | Habitats: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Pinelands, prairies and disturbed sites. | 
               
              
                | Soils: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Moist to wet, moderately well-drained to well-drained, sandy or limestone soils, without humusy top layer. | 
               
              
                | Nutritional Requirements: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Low; it grows in nutrient poor soils. | 
               
              
                | Salt Water Tolerance: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Low; does not tolerate long-term flooding by salt or brackish water. | 
               
              
                | Salt Wind Tolerance: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Low; salt wind may burn the leaves. | 
               
              
                | Drought Tolerance: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 High; does not require any supplemental water once established. | 
               
              
                | Light Requirements: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Full sun to light shade. | 
               
              
                | Flower Color: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 White or blue. | 
               
              
                | Flower Characteristics: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Showy. | 
               
              
                | Flowering Season: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Spring-fall. | 
               
              
                | Fruit: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Inconspicuous achene. | 
               
              
                | Wildlife and Ecology: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Larval host plant for pearl crescent (Phyciodes tharos) butterflies. Attracts butterflies, native bees, and other pollinators. | 
               
                     
                | Horticultural Notes: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Can be grown from seed. | 
               
              
                | Comments: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's  Flower Friday page. | 
               
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