Sericocarpus asteroides (see-ree-oh-CAR-pus as-ter-OY-deez)
Family: AsteraceaeNativeHerbaceous
HerbaceousNative
Toothed whitetop aster is an herbaceous perennial in the aster family (Asteraceae) that is native to the eastern and southeastern United States. It is commonly found the Coastal Plain and occasionally in the Piedmont of North Carolina. In its native environment, it is found in a variety of dry woodland sites and grasslands. The genus name, Sericocarpus, is derived from the Greek words “sericos’ meaning silky, and ‘carpos’ means fruit. This plant spreads by short rhizomes forming clumps and grows 8-24 inches tall It prefers partial sun to shade, and dry to average moisture. In summer dense clusters of white star-shaped flowers are formed that attract bees and butterflies. The toothed whitetop aster fruit has distinguishable silky hairs. It can be grown in dry woodland gardens to brighten the area and in native/pollinator gardens in the border or in groups. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Dry
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping; Erect
Texture
Medium
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Oblanceolate; Obovate; Spatulate
Leaf margin
Entire; Serrate
Leaf feel
Leathery
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
The basal leaves are oblanceolate to obovate or spatulate, 1-6 inches long with toothed margins. The stem leaves are narrow and not toothed. Leaves are sessile stemless) and hairy.
Flower color
Pink; White
Flower form
Corymb
Flower shape
Star
Flower detail
The 1/2-inch wide flowers form dense clusters at the end of the stems. Each flowering stem can have four or more flower heads. The 4-8 white ray florets surround a disk of 11-20 white or pink-inged tubular florets.
Fruit type
Achene
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
The tip of the fruit has dense silky hairs which are pale red to red-brown or purple.
Stem color
Green; Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
Green stems are hairy
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Eastern USA
Distribution
AL , CT , DE , FL , GA , KY , MA , MD , ME , MI , MS , NC , NH , NJ , NY , OH , PA , RI , SC , TN , VA , VT , WV