New England Aster Blooming

New England aster has been blooming along hedgerows and roadsides,as well as in meadows and woodlot clearings.The purple flowers are found from southern Canada to the Carolina hills.They are a favorite source of nectar for migrating monarch butterflies.The closely-related New York aster occurs in wet meadows and along the shore.Both plants are among the most-admired wildflowers in the Middle Atlantic region,and there are many cultivars of them.