| Author | (Aiton) G.L. Nesom | |
| Distribution | Scattered across the eastern 2/3rds of the state; scarce in the Mountains. There seems to be no pattern to its distribution here. Whether it is truly absent in the large areas without specimens is not certain, though it probably is absent in the far eastern counties. A specimen from Tyrrell County is actually Symphyotrichum undulatum; a specimen from Granville County is actually E. compacta.
Coastal Plain and Piedmont, MA to SC; disjunct to northeastern AL. | |
| Abundance | Some species with tighter ranges, such as E. mirabilis, can be reasonably numerous and be given a State Rank of S3. However, despite records for 23 counties, very few populations of Eastern Showy Aster contain more than just a few plants, and many are old and presumed historical. This may be a species in moderate to strong decline. Despite a wide habitat selection, it is difficult to find, and it is considered Significantly Rare in NC; the State Rank of S1S2 indicates this rarity well. | |
| Habitat | Dry sandy or clayey soils of pinelands, pine-deciduous woodlands, openings and margins of these woodlands, roadsides, railroad rights-of-way. It tends to occur in association with mesic pine stands, especially their margins. | |
| Phenology | Flowering and fruiting August-October. | |
| Identification | The genus Eurybia has been split from Aster (now Symphyotrichum). Variation among species of each genus requires several steps in a key to split members of the two genera apart (see genus key in Weakley 2018).
Eastern Showy Aster usually grows 1-2 feet tall, with dense hairs (and usually glands) on the stems. Lower leaves are elliptical and stalked; upper leaves are smaller and not stalked. Heads vary in number and have quite long lavender-blue to lavender-violet rays. The flower bract tips spread outward or may even be recurved; they are conspicuously gland-dotted. It is sad that this is so scarce a species, as indeed it is a spectacular plant when in bloom! | |
| Taxonomic Comments | Formerly treated as Aster spectabilis.
| |
| Other Common Name(s) | Low Showy Aster, Showy Aster, Purple Wood-aster | |
| State Rank | S1S2 | |
| Global Rank | G5 | |
| State Status | SR-O | |
| US Status | | |
| USACE-agcp | | |
| USACE-emp | | |
