Symphyotrichum oolentangiense
| Sky blue aster | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Illustration | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| Tribe: | Astereae |
| Genus: | Symphyotrichum |
| Species: | S. oolentangiense |
| Binomial name | |
| Symphyotrichum oolentangiense Guy L. Nesom | |
Symphyotrichum oolentangiense or Aster azureus (common name azure or sky blue aster) is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family Asteraceae, native to North American Atlantic Region.
History
Botanist John Leonard Riddell originally described this flower in 1835 and named it Aster oolentangiensis after the Olentangy River, where he found it near Worthington, Ohio. Riddell originally misspelled the name of the river with two Os. Its name was later changed to Aster azureus. When the genus was changed to Symphyotrichum the older species name had precedence. The plant is endangered in some states.[1]
Description
Plants are two to three feet tall with deep blue to violet flowers.[2] Leaves are alternate and simple.