By Ayaan Asthana Forked Aster

Scientific Name: Aster Furcatus Family Name: Asteraceae

To Plant or not to Plant… PLANT! Beautiful Endangered (good to analyze) Adaptable Forked Aster locations around the country.

The Beauty of Forked Aster Height: 1 ½ -3 feet tall Spread: 9 inches to a foot White Petals Yellow disc center Dark Green leaves 5 inches Resembles Daisy

Growing Conditions Blooms from July to October Last flowering stage: late August-early September Prefers sandy loam soil But, also likes alkaline soils (alkaline: large quantity of clay) Moderate to Heavy amounts of water

Here, there and even all the way over there. Many different Environments Sides of Railroad tracks Sedge Meadows Woodland Ponds Fully Shaded Ravines (Oh my)

THANKS FOR LISTENING (Please vote for Forked Aster!)

Reference List (Pictures) Schneider A. (2012). Threatened and Endangered Species Case Studies. Retrieved from: Illinois Department of Transportation http://www.dot.state.il.us/desenv/environmental/casestudies.html Prairie Moon Nursery. (2012). Prairie Moon Nursery.Retrieved From: Prairie Moon Nursery. http://www.prairiemoon.com/seeds/wildflowers-forbs/aster-furcatus-forked-aster/?cat=271

More Picture References Piney Power. (1998-2012). It’s All About the Pine Barrens. Retrieved From: Piney Power http://www.pineypower.com/Cloverdale/cloverdale.htm Brown, P. (1996). Critical Trends Assessment Phase 2. Retrieved From: Inventory of Resource Rich Areas in Illinois http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/cwe/rra/rra.html

Reference List (Actual Sources) Aster Furcatus (1997-2012). Retrieved from Chicago Botanic Garden: http://www.chica gobotanic.org/research/conservation/regional_floristics/aster.php Morton Arboretum. (2012). Forked Aster. Lisle IL: Morton Arboretum. Peterson R., Mckenny M. (1996). Wildflowers. New York, NY: Houghton, Mifflin. Tietymeyer A. (9 September 2010). Aster Furcatus. Retrieved from National Center for Plant Conservation: http://www.centerforplantconservation.org/collection/CPC.ViewProfile.asp? CPCNum=338