Frost Aster is a hardy and prolific late-season bloomer that provides a final, snowy flourish to the landscape as the year draws to a close. This adaptable perennial, also known as Hairy White Oldfield Aster, is named for the fine, downy hairs that cover its stems and the way its dense clusters of small white flowers resemble a dusting of frost. Reaching up to 4 feet in height, it features hundreds of half-inch blossoms with white petals and yellow centers that eventually turn reddish-purple. Native across much of North America, it is commonly found in old fields, roadsides, and open meadows, thriving in a wide range of soil conditions from dry to medium-wet. Ecologically, it is a powerhouse, offering critical late-season nectar for honeybees, bumblebees, and butterflies, and serving as a larval host for the Pearl Crescent butterfly. While it can be an aggressive spreader via rhizomes and self-seeding, it is ideal for naturalizing larger areas in full sun.

Quick facts

• Height: Up to 4 ft
• Sun: Full
• Soil moisture: Medium-Wet to Dry
• Bloom time: Sep–Oct (White)
• Life cycle: Perennial
• Notes: Aggressive, Rhizomatous
• Native range: Native to 37 states, including Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska

See the full growing guide and county range map for Frost Aster