wild aster
Erect, many branched, almost hairless, spindly, dark green, summer growing annual or biennial herb, to1.8 m tall. The leaves are small and held close to the stem. The flowers are also small and produce wind blown seeds with fluffy parachutes.
This species is very widely naturalised in Australia. It is particularly common in eastern Australia (i.e. throughout Queensland, New South Wales, the ACT and Victoria) and relatively common in southern Australia (i.e. in Tasmania, in many parts of South Australia and in south-western Western Australia. Also naturalised in the southern parts of the Northern Territory and on offshore islands (i.e. Lord Howe Island, Norfolk Island and Christmas Island).`12
Prefers damp and poorly drained areas, but occurs in a wide range of habitats. Suited to all soil types
Tall, spindly, straight-stemmed almost hairless annual or short-lived perennial herb up to 1.8 m tall, with small pale purple flowers produced on a many-branched flower stalk
Wild aster (Aster subulatus) is regarded as an environmental weed in Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, New South Wales and Queensland. It is a common and widespread weed of gardens, pastures, crops, roadsides, disturbed sites and waste areas. It is also invasive along waterways, in seasonally wet or poorly drained areas, and in permanently damp sites such as wetlands, swamp margins and drainage channels.
Leaves linear-lanceolate to narrow-lanceolate, 1–15 cm long, 3–10 mm wide, apex acute, margins entire; stem-clasping.
The numerous flower-heads, 2-4 mm diameter, are in loose, leafy panicles with branched stems. The hairless, bracts surrounding the heads are often reddish with a green centre. Ray florets are white, pink or blue with 3–5 mm long ‘petals’. Central disc florets only number a few.
Achenes 1.5–2 mm long, narrow, 4–5 ribbed, sparsely hairy; pappus whitish. Weed of seasonally wet or poorly drained land and damp areas such as swamp edges and roadside drains.
By seed. ‘Seeds’ brown, about 2mm long with a conspicuous tuft of fine, pale hairs, 5-7mm long. Spread by: Windborne ‘seeds’.
Invades/threats: Coastal areas, particularly disturbed sites, gardens and lawns.
