Symphyotrichum oblongifolium (Aster oblongifolius) 'Raydon's Favorite' (Aromatic Aster)

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 two to three feet in height 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 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.