bigleaf aster

(Eurybia macrophylla)

Conservation Status
bigleaf aster
 
  IUCN Red List

not listed

     
  NatureServe

NNR - Unranked

SNR - Unranked

     
  Minnesota

not listed

     
           
Wetland Indicator Status
     
  Great Plains

FACU - Facultative upland

     
  Midwest

FACU - Facultative upland

     
  Northcentral & Northeast

UPL - Obligate upland

     
           
 
Description
 
 

Basal leaves are large, broadly oval, long-stalked, and have deeply heart-shaped bases. The margins are sharply toothed. Lower stem leaves are similar but smaller. Stem leaves are often winged. Basal and lower stem leaves are present at flowering.

Middle and upper leaves are progressively smaller with increasingly winged leaf stalks. The leaf bases are tapered or squared. Uppermost leaves stalkless and may slightly clasp the stem.

 
     
 

Height

 
 

12 to 48

 
     
 

Flower Color

 
 

Bluish to purple

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
     
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Woods, forests, especially aspen woodlands. Full shade.

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Flowering

 
 

July to October

 
     
 

Pests and Diseases

 
 

Twirler moth (Scrobipalpula manierreorum) larvae create pale lines on the leaves as they eat between the upper and lower surfaces.

 
     
 
Use
 
 

 

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 24, 28, 30.

 
  2/19/2023      
         
 

Nativity

 
 

Native

 
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

Very common in the northeastern two-thirds of Minnesota.

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
  Kingdom Plantae (green algae and land plants)  
  Subkingdom Viridiplantae (green plants)  
  Infrakingdom Streptophyta (land plants and green algae)  
  Superdivision Embryophyta (land plants)  
  Division Tracheophyta (vascular plants)  
  Subdivision Spermatophytina (seed plants)  
  Class Magnoliopsida (flowering plants)  
  Superorder Asteranae  
 

Order

Asterales (sunflowers, bellflowers, fanflowers, and allies)  
 

Family

Asteraceae (sunflowers, daisies, asters, and allies)  
  Subfamily Asteroideae  
  Supertribe Asterodae  
  Tribe Astereae (asters and allies)  
  Subtribe Machaerantherinae  
  Genus Eurybia (wood asters)  
       
 

The 23 species in the genus Eurybia were formerly placed in the genus Aster. Bigleaf aster is the only species in the new genus that occurs in Minnesota.

 
       
 

Subordinate Taxa

 
 

 

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

Aster ianthinus

Aster macrophyllus

Aster macrophyllus var. apricensis

Aster macrophyllus var. excelsior

Aster macrophyllus var. ianthinus

Aster macrophyllus var. pinguifolius

Aster macrophyllus var. sejunctus

Aster macrophyllus var. velutinus

Aster multiformis

Aster nobilis

Aster riciniatus

Aster roscidus

Aster violaris

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

bigleaf aster

big-leaf aster

large-leaf aster

large-leaved aster

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Clasping

Describing a leaf that wholly or partly surrounds the stem but does not fuse at the base.

 
 
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Luciearl

 
    bigleaf aster      
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

Colony

 
    bigleaf aster   bigleaf aster  
           
 

Plant

 
    bigleaf aster   bigleaf aster  
           
    bigleaf aster   bigleaf aster  
           
    bigleaf aster      
           
 

Buds

 
    bigleaf aster      
           
 

Inflorescence

 
    bigleaf aster   bigleaf aster  
           
 

Basal leaves

 
    bigleaf aster   bigleaf aster  
           
    bigleaf aster      
           
 

Stem leaves

 
    bigleaf aster   bigleaf aster  
           
 

Winged petiole

 
    bigleaf aster      

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
 
     
     

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

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Other Videos
 
  Wild Edibles: Large Leaved Aster
JoeandZachSurvival
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Aug 13, 2011

In this video we identify and discuss the edible properties of the Large Leaved Aster plant.

   

 

Camcorder

 
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

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  Luciearl
9/29/2021

Location: Cass County

bigleaf aster

 
           
 
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