The aster family, formerly known as compositae, features plants with flower
heads made up of many tiny flowers arranged in a central disc, with outer petals
giving the overal inflorescence its daisy-like shape. Sunflowers, coneflowers,
goldenrods, and many other wildflowers belong to this family.
| Botanical name |
Common name |
Category |
Flowers | Size |
Achillea 'Schwellenberg' |
yarrow | perennial (Z3-9) |
yellow (June) | 2-3' |
| Achillea filipendulina 'Cloth of Gold' |
fern-leaf yarrow | perennial (Z3-9) |
yellow | 3' |
| Achillea millefolium |
yarrow | perennial |
various colors (ours are purple-pink) | 2 ft |
| Achillea ptarmica 'The Pearl' |
| perennial (Z3-9) |
white (summer) | 16" |
| Achillea sibirica var. camtschatica 'Love Parade' |
yarrow | perennial (Z3-9) |
pink (summer) | 2' |
| Achillea tomentosa |
woolly yarrow | perennial (Z3-10) |
yellow (summer) | 6-12" |
| Ambrosia artemisiifolia |
common ragweed | annual |
yellow (late summer) | |
| Anacyclus depressus |
Mount Atlas daisy | perennial (Z4) |
white (spring) | 3" |
| Anaphalis margaritacea |
pearly everlasting | perennial (Z5-8) |
silver-white (August) | 18" |
| Antennaria dioica |
pussy-toes | perennial |
white-pink | 2" |
| Arctium lappa |
burdock | biennial |
| |
| Arctotis fastuosa |
cape daisy, monarch of the veldt | annual or tender perennial |
silvery white (summer) | 18-24" |
| Artemisia 'Powis Castle' |
| perennial (Z5-9) |
yellow | 24-36" |
| Artemisia lactiflora 'Guizhou' |
white mugwort | perennial (Z3-8) |
white (August-September) | 6' |
| Artemisia schmidtiana 'Silver Mound' |
wormwood | perennial (Z3-10) |
insignificant | 10" |
| Artemisia vulgaris |
mugwort | perennial |
I don't let it | 3' or taller |
| Aster diplostephioides |
| perennial |
purple (late summer) | 18" |
| Aster frikartii |
Frikart's aster | perennial (Z5) |
blue (summer) | 2-3' |
| Aster tataricus 'Jin-Dai' |
Tatarian aster | perennial (Z4-8) |
purple/yellow (autumn) | 3-4' |
| Bellis perennis |
English daisy | perennial |
white-pink-red | 8" |
| Berkheya purpurea |
| tender perennial (Z8-10) |
purple (late summer) | |
| Berlandiera lyrata |
chocolate-scented daisy | perennial (Z5-11) |
yellow (summer) | 18" |
| Cacalia delphiniifolia |
| perennial |
white | 40" |
| Calendula officinalis |
pot marigold | annual |
orange (summer) | 2' |
| Callistephus chinensis |
China aster | annual |
various | 2' |
| Carlina acaulis |
silver thistle | perennial |
silver-white (summer) | 6" |
| Catananche caerulea |
Cupid's dart | perennial (Z4-9) |
blue (summer) | 18-24" |
| Centaurea cyanus |
bachelor's button; cornflower | annual |
blue, white (summer) | 3-4' |
| Centaurea montana |
mountain bluet | perennial (Z3-8) |
purple-blue (spring-summer) | 1-2' |
| Centaurea nigra |
knapweed | perennial |
purple (summer) | 2-3' |
| Centaurea stoebe ssp. stoebe |
spotted knapweed | biennial/perennial |
lavender (summer) | to 4' |
| Centratherum punctatum |
Brazilian buttons | tender perennial (Z8-11) |
blue (late spring-summer) | 24" |
| Chamaemelum nobile |
Roman chamomile | perennial |
yellow/white | 3" |
| Chrysanthemum hybrids |
garden mum | perennial |
various (fall) | 2' |
| Chrysanthemum koreanum 'Sheffield' |
pink daisy mum | perennial (Z5-9) |
pale pink/yellow (fall) | 2-3' |
| Chrysanthemum leucanthemum |
ox-eye daisy | perennial |
white/yellow (spring) | 2-3' |
| Cichorium intybus |
common chicory | |
blue (July) | 2-3' |
| Cirsium arvense |
Canada thistle | perennial |
purple | |
| Cirsium vulgare |
bull thistle | biennial |
purple-pink (summer) | 3' |
| Conoclinium coelestinum |
hardy ageratum; mistflower | perennial (Z4-11) |
blue (late summer-fall) | 2' |
| Coreopsis 'Limerock Ruby' |
tickseed | perennial |
ruby red (summer) | 2' |
| Coreopsis auriculata 'Zamphir' |
ear-leaved tickseed | perennial (Z4-9) |
yellow (late spring-summer) | 12-18" |
| Coreopsis grandiflora 'Early Sunrise' |
bigflower tickseed | perennial (Z4-9) |
yellow (late spring) | 18-24" |
| Coreopsis rosea |
tickseed | perennial (Z4-8) |
pink/yellow (summer) | 18-24" |
| Coreopsis tinctoria |
plains coreopsis; calliopsis | annual |
yellow-red-brown (summer) | 1-3' |
| Coreopsis tripteris |
tickseed | perennial |
yellow (July-September) | 6 ft |
| Coreopsis verticillata 'Moonbeam' |
laceleaf coreopsis | perennial |
yellow (summer) | 18" |
| Cosmos bipinnatus |
| annual |
| |
| Cosmos sulphureus |
yellow cosmos | annual |
yellow-orange (summer) | 30" |
| Cotula hispida |
| perennial |
yellow (late spring) | 6" |
| Dahlia 'Jazz' |
| tender perennial |
deep pink-red (summer) | 2' |
| Doronicum orientale |
caucasian leopard's bane | perennial (Z5) |
yellow (spring) | 20" |
| Echinacea pallida |
pale purple coneflower | perennial |
pink - pale purple | 36" |
| Echinacea paradoxa |
yellow coneflower | perennial |
yellow (summer) | 2-3' |
| Echinacea purpurea |
purple coneflower | perennial |
purple | 3-4 ft |
| Echinacea simulata |
wavy-leaf purple coneflower | perennial |
pale pink (June-July) | 2-3' |
| Echinacea tennesseensis |
Tennessee coneflower | perennial (Z5-9) |
purple (summer) | 2' tall, 18" wide |
| Elephantopus carolinianus |
elephant's foot | perennial |
pale blue (late summer) | 1 ft |
| Erechtites hieraciifolius |
pilewort; American fireweed | annual |
white | |
| Erigeron annuus |
Eastern daisy fleabane | annual |
white/yellow (summer) | 3-5' |
| Erigeron karvinskianus |
Mexican daisy | perennial (Z6-9) |
white (spring) | 12" |
| Erigeron leiomerus |
rockslide daisy | perennial |
white (summer) | 4" |
| Erigeron philadelphicus |
common fleabane | biennial |
pink (spring) | |
| Erigeron speciosus 'Azure Fairy' |
fleabane | perennial (Z3-8) |
lavender-blue (June) | 2-3' |
| Eupatorium maculatum 'Purple bush' |
spotted Joe-Pye weed | perennial (Z4-8) |
purple (mid-late summer) | 2-4' |
| Eupatorium purpureum |
joe pye weed | perennial (Z4-9) |
mauve (late summer) | 6' |
| Eupatorium rugosum 'Chocolate' |
white snakeroot | perennial (Z4-8) |
white (late summer-fall) | 3-5' |
| Gaillardia grandiflora |
blanketflower | perennial |
warm colors, summer | 2-3' |
| Gaillardia pulchella |
rose-ring blanketflower | annual/short-lived perennial ( |
red/yellow (summer) | 12-24" |
| Galinsoga quadriradiata |
shaggy soldier; hairy galinsoga | annual |
white/yellow | |
| Gazania linearis |
treasure flower | perennial (Z5-8) |
yellow (early summer) | 6" |
| Gynura japonica |
| perennial (Z4-7) |
orange | 4' |
| Helenium autumnale |
Helen's flower, sneezeweed | perennial |
yellow/orange/red (summer-fall) | 4-5' |
| Helenium puberulum 'Autumn Lollipop' |
| perennial (Z4-8) |
yellow-orange (summer) | 36" |
| Helianthus angustifolius 'First Light' |
swamp sunflower; narrow-leaf sunflower | perennial (Z5-9) |
yellow (Sep) | 4' |
| Helianthus annuus |
sunflower | annual |
yellow (summer) | 6' and taller |
| Helianthus maximilianii |
Maximillian sunflower | perennial |
yellow, late summer into fall | 7 ft |
| Helichrysum bracteatum |
strawflower | annual |
| |
| Heliopsis helianthoides |
false sunflower | perennial |
yellow | 5 ft |
| Heterotheca pumila |
alpine false goldenaster | perennial |
yellow (summer) | 4-6" |
| Hieracium aurantiacum |
hawkweed | perennial |
orange (late spring) | 18" |
| Hieracium maculatum |
spotted hawkweed | perennial (Z5-9) |
yellow (summer) | 12" |
| Hymenoxys hoopesii |
orange sneezeweed | perennial (Z3-8) |
yellow (late spring) | 3-4' |
| Kalimeris incisa |
cutleaf Japanese aster | perennial |
light blue (June) | 2' |
| Kalimeris pinnatifida |
Japanese aster | perennial (Z6-9) |
white (mid-late summer) | 2-3' |
| Kalimeris yomena 'Geisha' |
Japanese aster | perennial (Z4-9) |
lavender daisies | 16" |
| Lactuca canadensis |
wild lettuce | annual |
yellow | |
| Lactuca serriola |
prickly lettuce | annual/biennial |
yellow | 1-4' |
| Layia calliglossa |
tidy tips | annual |
yellow/white | |
| Leibnitzia anandria |
Leibnitz daisy | perennial |
white (late spring and early fall) | 1' tall, 6" wide |
| Liatris ligulistylis |
meadow blazing star | perennial |
purple (Aug-Sep) | 3-5' |
| Liatris microcephala |
dwarf blazing star | perennial (Z4-7) |
violet (late summer) | 18-24" |
| Liatris pycnostachya |
button snakeroot; prairie blazing star | perennial (Z4) |
purple (July-Aug) | 3-5' |
| Liatris scariosa |
plains blazing star | perennial (Z3-8) |
pink-purple (summer) | 2-4' |
| Liatris spicata |
blazing star; gayfeather | perennial bulb |
purple, mid-late summer | 3 ft |
| Ligularia dentata |
golden groundsel, leopard plant | perennial (Z3) |
orange-yellow (summer) | 3' |
| Ligularia przewalskii |
| perennial (Z3) |
yellow (summer) | 4' |
| Ligularia sibirica |
| perennial (Z3-10) |
yellow (summer) | 4' |
| Ligularia stenocephala 'The Rocket' |
narrow-leaf ligularia | perennial (Z4-8) |
yellow (late summer-fall) | 4-6' |
| Ligularia vorobievii |
| perennial |
orange-yellow (mid-late summer) | 3-4' |
| Marshallia caespitosa |
Barbara's buttons | annual |
| |
| Melampodium paludosum 'Million Gold' |
gold medallion flower; African zinnia | annual |
yellow (summer) | 12" |
| Pityopsis falcata |
sickle-leaf golden-aster | |
yellow (late summer) | 8-15" |
| Ratibida columnifera |
prairie coneflower; Mexican hat | perennial (Z3-10) |
yellow (summer) | 24-32" |
| Ratibida pinnata |
drooping or grey-head prairie coneflower | perennial (Z3-8) |
yellow (summer into fall) | 3-5' |
| Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldsturm' |
black-eyed susan | perennial |
yellow/black (summer) | |
| Rudbeckia hirta |
gloriosa daisy; black-eyed susan | perennial (Z3-10) |
yellow-orange-burgundy | 2' |
| Rudbeckia laciniata 'Goldquelle' |
golden glow coneflower | perennial (Z3-9) |
yellow (summer) | 3' |
| Rudbeckia maxima |
giant coneflower | perennial |
yellow (early summer) | 6' |
| Rudbeckia triloba |
brown-eyed susan | biennial |
yellow/brown (late summer-fall) | 3-4' |
| Sanvitalia procumbens |
creeping zinnia | annual |
yellow daisies (all season) | 8" |
| Scorzonera suberosa ssp. cariensis |
| perennial |
purple (summer) | 2-8" |
| Senecio vulgaris |
common groundsel | annual |
yellow | |
| Silphium laciniatum |
compass plant | perennial |
yellow (summer) | 6-8 ft |
| Silphium perfoliatum |
cup plant | perennial |
yellow (summer) | 6 ft |
| Silphium terebinthinaceum |
prairie dock | perennial |
yellow? | |
| Silybum marianum |
Mary's thistle, milk thistle | biennial |
see below | foliage to 12", flowers to 24" |
| Solidago canadensis |
Canada goldenrod | perennial |
yellow July-Sept | 4-5' |
| Solidago species |
goldenrod | perennial |
yellow | |
| Solidago virgaurea 'Peter Pan' |
goldenrod | perennial |
yellow (late summer) | 18" |
| Sonchus asper |
annual sowthistle | annual |
yellow | 12-24" |
| Sonchus oleraceus |
common sowthistle | annual |
yellow | |
| Stokesia laevis |
Stokes' aster, cornflower aster | perennial (Z5-9) |
blue-purple (summer) | 18" |
| Symphyotrichum ericoides f. prostratum 'Snow Flurry' |
heath aster | perennial |
white (September) | 4-6" |
| Symphyotrichum lateriflorum 'Lady in Black' |
Michaelmas daisy | perennial (Z5-9) |
white/pink (Sept-Oct) | 4' |
| Symphyotrichum novae-angliae 'Purple Dome' |
New England aster | perennial |
purple (late summer) | 2' |
| Symphyotrichum oolentangiense |
skyblue aster | perennial (Z4-8) |
blue (September-October) | 2-4' |
| Symphyotrichum pilosum |
frost aster | perennial |
white/yellow (summer) | 1-4' |
| Symphyotrichum sp. |
| perennial |
| 6' |
| Syneilesis aconitifolia |
shredded umbrella plant | perennial (Z5-8) |
white - pink | 18" |
| Syneilesis palmata |
palmate umbrella plant | perennial (Z5-8) |
white (summer) | 15" |
| Tagetes |
marigold | annual |
orange/yellow (summer) | 6" |
| Tanacetum balsamita |
costmary | perennial |
yellow (summer) | 18" |
| Tanacetum coccineum |
painted daisy | perennial |
pink-red with yellow eye (May-June) | 24" |
| Tanacetum parthenium 'Aureum' |
golden feverfew | perennial |
yellow/white | 1 ft |
| Tanacetum vulgare |
tansy | perennial herb |
yellow | 3-5 ft |
| Taraxacum officinale |
dandelion | perennial |
yellow | 4" (to 12" in bloom) |
| Thelesperma burridgeanum |
| annual |
gold/brown (summer) | 18" |
| Thymophylla tenuiloba |
Dahlberg daisy | annual |
yellow (summer) | 6" |
| Tithonia rotundifolia |
Mexican sunflower | annual |
orange | 4 ft |
| Townsendia eximia |
Townsend daisy | ? |
white-pink (summer) | 6" |
| Townsendia parryi |
Parry's townsendia | perennial |
purple-blue (late spring) | 6-12" |
| Tragopogon dubius |
yellow goatsbeard; yellow salsify | annual/biennial |
yellow (June-Aug) | 24-30" |
| Tragopogon porrifolius |
purple salsify | biennial |
lavender (May) | |
| Ursinia anethoides |
| annual |
yellow/burgundy (summer) | 12" |
| Verbesina alternifolia |
wingstem | perennial |
yellow (Sep-Oct) | to 12' |
| Vernonia angustifolia |
tall ironweed | perennial |
purple (late summer-fall) | |
| Vernonia noveboracensis |
New York ironweed | perennial |
purple (late summer-fall) | 6' |
| Xanthisma texana |
sleepy daisy | annual |
yellow (summer) | 2-3' |
| Zinnia acerosa |
desert zinnia | tender perennial (Z9-10) |
| |
| Zinnia elegans 'Candy Cane' |
zinnia | annual |
| |
