Today, as I was walking through the gardens, one of our gardeners told me that there was a flurry of snow in her garden. Not to cause alarm, although there has been snow already in some parts of the United States. What she was referring to was the wonderful, creeping aster called ‘Snow Flurry.’ Snow Flurry aster is known botanically as Aster ericoides ‘Snow Flurry.’ Some taxonomists have re-written the asters into several different genera so this one is now known as Symphyotrichum ericoides ‘Snow Flurry.’ The cultivar name is also written as ‘Schneegitter,’ which I assume is German for sneeze getter. Or snow flurry. If I spoke German, maybe I would know the real meaning.

I do know that Snow Flurry aster is a fantastic, late-season flowering ground cover. Aster ericoides is a native plant that reaches a height of 6-8″ in height by 2′ in spread. It has fine leaves slightly resembling Erica plants, thus the common name of heath-aster. This perennial should be grown in full-sun with well drained soil. Snow Flurry is covered with 1/2″ diameter, white flowers in late September into early October. En masse, Snow Flurry makes quite a show when it is in flower. It does look a bit like snow, if you squint really hard, while looking at it through fog, with someone else’s glasses (not that I have ever tried this).

Once Snow Flurry aster is done flowering, I would remove all of the spent flowers unless you want tons of aster seedlings everywhere next year. We have a mass growing on a rocky ledge along our Haney Hillside Garden at Coastal Maine Botanical Garden. For the next few weeks, it will be one of the most asked about plants in our garden. Are you growing this fantastic, native aster in your garden?

–Rodney

Images: oakleafgardening.com, bloomingwriter.blogspot.com