Japanese Aster is a herbaceous perennial in the daisy family (Asteraceae) native to Japan and Korea found in fields and along footpaths. Plant in full sun to partial shade, though it appreciates some afternoon shade in hot climates, well-drained, medium moisture soils. It will grow 2 to 3 feet tall and needs 2 to 3 feet of planting space. It will slowly spread by rhizomes. Propagation is by division or seeds. The flowers are 1 inch wide with yellow disc flowers surrounded by multiple white ray petals. It blooms from late spring or early summer into fall and has plenty of nectar for bees and butterflies. Plant in perennial borders, in pollinator gardens, naturalize in a meadow, in containers or mass plant along a walkway. The flowers can start out as single blooms but by mid-summer, they are doubled. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems but it can suffer from root rot in overly wet soils. It needs to be sheltered from battering winds.
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.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in. | Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Mounding
Texture
Fine
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf arrangement
Rosulate
Leaf shape
Pinnatifid
Leaf margin
Entire; Lobed; Serrate
Leaf feel
Soft
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
The basal leaves are up to 3.5 inches long and are pinnately lobed. The stem leaves are small with entire margins.
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; White
Flower value
Good Cut; Long Bloom Season; Showy
Flower form
Raceme
Flower shape
Radial
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Semi-double daisy-like flowers that are up to 1 inch wide. The rays are white, and the center disk is yellow. They have abundant blooms from June to October.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
Ridged green stems
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Korea and Japan
Distribution
Native: Korea and Japan
Wildlife value
Attracts pollinators. Host plant fo Field Crescent, Pearl Crescent, Texan Crescent, Roadside Checkerspot, Hoffman's Checkerspot, and American Lady.