Symphyotrichum oblongifolium 'Raydon's Favorite' (Aromatic Aster) Unity Grown

Symphyotrichum oblongifolium (syn. Aster oblongifolius) is a species of aster, commonly referred to as aromatic aster, noted for its attractive flowers and fragrant plant tissues; the 'Raydon's Favorite' cultivar is an award winning mound-forming aromatic aster cultivar that was praised as the 2016 Plant of the Year by the Garden Club of America. 'Raydon's Favorite' forms mounds of 2-3' in height with a narrow spread and produces profuse fragrant blooms in shades of blue and purple, which are a favorite of both birds and butterflies in the late summer and early fall.

Aromatic aster thrives in medium-dry, sunny conditions and tolerates poor and clay-rich soils, as well as deer and rabbit damage, making it a great choice for rock gardens, pollinator gardens, and open meadows where it provides a lot of ecological appeal; with the 'Raydon's Favorite' cultivar's wide, mounding habit, it works even better when planted in masses for low borders and attractive meadows. Symphyotrichum oblongifolium 'Raydon's Favorite' flowers feed a variety of pollinators, its leaves feed butterfly and moth larvae, and its seeds feed a large variety of songbirds through the fall and winter, combining ecological and ornamental value.