Eurybia (Aster) macrophylla 'Twilight' (Bigleaf Aster)

Eurybia macrophylla (syn. Aster macrophyllus) 'Twilight' is a cultivar of bigleaf aster, a native, colony-forming perennial wildflower found across much of northeasterb North America; the 'Twilight' cultivar is a naturally occuring hybrid cross of two aster species, Eurybia spectabilis and Eurybia macrophylla noted for its pale blue-purple flowers. Growing 2-3' tall and wide in locations with moist but well-drained sandy loams, bigleaf aster is easily identified by its large-lobed basal foliage and its profuse flowering made all the more impressive by its colony-forming habit.

Performing well in a variety of light levels, bigleaf aster is a common find in many lowland forests, and provides a valuable food source for pollinators, but especially butterflies, in the late summer to mid fall; while large leaves allow 'Twilight' to thrive in shadier locations, its blooms may be smaller or less profuse in full shade. The tender young leaves of Eurybia macrophylla can be cooked and eaten, but care should be taken with choosing an appropriate planting location as the tenderness of young leaves can result in foraging by deer and rabbits. Once established, rhizomatic roots mean that bigleaf aster will spread and become difficult to remove, but this also makes them relatively tolerant of long-term deer browsing and an excellent choice as an excellent selection for shading out weeds in part-shade environments.