Top native bushy, eastern, heart-leaved, and old field asters
31 species, native to the US, ranked by caterpillars, then bees and other hosts, food, flowers and shelter.
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Smooth Blue Aster
Symphyotrichum laeve
keystone
caterpillars
89
bees
33
hosts
2
food
19
flowers
269
shelter
1
-
Panicled Aster
Symphyotrichum lanceolatum
keystone
caterpillars
88
bees
33
hosts
3
food
20
flowers
270
shelter
1
-
Common Blue Wood Aster
Symphyotrichum cordifolium
keystone
caterpillars
77
bees
24
hosts
5
food
15
flowers
260
-
Calico Aster
Symphyotrichum lateriflorum
keystone
caterpillars
77
bees
24
hosts
4
food
16
flowers
273
-
Swamp Aster
Symphyotrichum puniceum
keystone
caterpillars
77
bees
24
hosts
3
food
15
flowers
233
-
Northern Bog Aster
Symphyotrichum boreale
keystone
caterpillars
77
bees
22
hosts
2
food
16
flowers
248
shelter
1
-
Hairy White Oldfield Aster
Symphyotrichum pilosum
keystone
caterpillars
76
bees
24
hosts
3
food
26
flowers
333
-
Lindley's Aster
Symphyotrichum ciliolatum
keystone
caterpillars
76
bees
18
hosts
3
food
14
flowers
247
-
New York Aster
Symphyotrichum novi-belgii
keystone
caterpillars
75
bees
23
hosts
2
food
28
flowers
220
-
Small White Aster
Symphyotrichum racemosum
keystone
caterpillars
75
bees
23
hosts
2
food
14
flowers
217
-
Willowleaf Aster
Symphyotrichum praealtum
keystone
caterpillars
75
bees
22
hosts
2
food
15
flowers
222
-
Shining Aster
Symphyotrichum firmum
caterpillars
75
bees
21
hosts
2
food
14
flowers
208
-
Bushy Aster
Symphyotrichum dumosum
keystone
caterpillars
74
bees
23
hosts
2
food
14
flowers
224
-
Ontario Aster
Symphyotrichum ontarionis
keystone
caterpillars
74
bees
23
hosts
2
food
14
flowers
218
-
Arrow-leaved Aster
Symphyotrichum urophyllum
keystone
caterpillars
74
bees
22
hosts
3
food
14
flowers
215
-
Wavy-leaf Aster
Symphyotrichum undulatum
keystone
caterpillars
74
bees
23
hosts
2
food
13
flowers
212
-
Sky Blue Aster
Symphyotrichum oolentangiense
keystone
caterpillars
74
bees
21
hosts
2
food
15
flowers
224
-
Crookedstem Aster
Symphyotrichum prenanthoides
keystone
caterpillars
73
bees
23
hosts
2
food
13
flowers
214
-
Short's Aster
Symphyotrichum shortii
keystone
caterpillars
73
bees
21
hosts
2
food
13
flowers
212
-
Drummond's Aster
Symphyotrichum drummondii
keystone
caterpillars
70
bees
19
hosts
3
food
17
flowers
212
-
Serpentine Aster
Symphyotrichum depauperatum
keystone
caterpillars
62
bees
15
hosts
2
food
11
flowers
192
-
Tradescant's Aster
Symphyotrichum tradescanti
keystone
caterpillars
58
bees
12
hosts
1
food
8
flowers
162
-
Rigid Whitetop Aster
Symphyotrichum retroflexum
keystone
caterpillars
57
bees
10
hosts
2
food
11
flowers
177
-
Manyray Aster
Symphyotrichum anomalum
keystone
caterpillars
53
bees
10
hosts
2
food
9
flowers
186
-
Kentucky Aster
Symphyotrichum kentuckiense
keystone
caterpillars
50
bees
8
hosts
2
food
8
flowers
162
-
Elliott's Aster
Symphyotrichum elliottii
keystone
caterpillars
47
bees
11
hosts
2
food
10
flowers
168
-
Simmonds' Aster
Symphyotrichum simmondsii
keystone
caterpillars
35
bees
8
hosts
1
food
9
flowers
144
-
Whitehouse's Aster
Symphyotrichum eulae
keystone
caterpillars
29
bees
4
hosts
2
food
7
flowers
124
-
Rhiannon's Aster
Symphyotrichum rhiannon
-
Welsh's Aster
Symphyotrichum welshii
-
Small-head Aster
Symphyotrichum parviceps