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perennial

Aromatic aster 'October Skies'

Symphyotrichum oblongifolium 'October Skies'

Preview: plant data is awaiting horticulturist review. A professional horticulturist hasn't reviewed our plant table yet. Lists still follow fixed rules for zone, sun, pets, deer and invasive status.

Hardy in zones 3–8, Aromatic aster 'October Skies' is a perennial. Expect 1.5–2 ft of height and 2–3 ft of spread; our lists space it 2 ft apart. It does best in full sun to part sun with little water once established. Expect blue flowers in September to November. In a FloraVista list it usually plays the filler role: a flowering plant that fills the middle or front of the bed. It is native to the Midwest, the Great Plains, Texas and the South-Central states, the Mid-Atlantic and the Southeast. Deer may browse it when other food is short, and it is not listed as toxic to dogs or cats. Our rules leave it out of lists in Florida and the Gulf, where summer heat, humidity or mild winters hold it back even inside its zone range.

Facts from our plant table

Botanical name
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium 'October Skies'
Plant type
Perennial, herbaceous
Hardiness zones
3 to 8
Sun
Full sun (6+ hours); Part sun (4–6 hours)
Water
Low
Soil
Dry to average, well-drained soil including rocky ground.
Mature size
1.5–2 ft tall × 2–3 ft wide
Spacing
2 ft apart (centre to centre)
Growth rate
Medium
Bloom
Sep–Nov · blue
Roles in a bed
Filler
Styles
natural, low water, cottage
Deer resistance
Medium: browsed when deer are hungry
Pets
Not listed as toxic to dogs or cats. Not on the ASPCA toxic list; no known toxic compounds.
Native to
Midwest, Great Plains, South-Central, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast
Pot size and price
1-gallon pot, typically $10–$18 (sometimes stocked)
Plant in
Spring or Fall
First-year watering
Water weekly through the first summer until roots establish, then only during long dry spells.
Pruning
Pinch by half in June for a tighter mound; cut down in late winter.

Sources: ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List (from general knowledge; not re-checked unless verification is web-checked); Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder and grower tags; State extension service guidance and USDA PLANTS distribution maps; Rutgers NJAES Landscape Plants Rated by Deer Resistance; Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States and state noxious weed lists; Typical 2026 US garden-centre and big-box retail listings (estimate). Not yet reviewed by a horticulturist.

Guides that include this plant

Good companions

The plants our list engine most often puts in the same bed as Aromatic aster 'October Skies', across the sun, zone, pet, deer and style combinations it fits.

If you can't find it

Substitutes our engine offers for Aromatic aster 'October Skies': same role in the bed, passing the same rules.

How this page was made

This page was generated from this plant's record in FloraVista's plant table by fixed rules. The companions and substitutes come from the lists our rules engine composes. No named expert has reviewed this page.

Data status: the plant table is awaiting review by a horticulturist. Check each plant with a local nursery or extension office before you buy.

Sources

  • Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, state extension services and the USDA PLANTS database (zones, size, sun, water, bloom, native range)
  • ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant lists (dog and cat toxicity)
  • Rutgers NJAES and regional extension deer-resistance ratings
  • State noxious-weed and invasive-plant lists and the Invasive Plant Atlas of the US
  • Typical US garden-centre listings (pot size and price band)

Generated . How FloraVista chooses plants