So, how did the aster get its name? The star-like rays of the aster emanating from the flowrheads looked to the ancient Greeks to be star-like. Aster means 'star' in the ancient Greek language, and since the stars ruled the fates of the ancient Greeks, an ill-starred event became known as a dis-aster.
Other aster based words such as 'asteroid, astronaut & astronomy all derive the root meanings from the ancient Greek word for star.
Asters are members of the highly evolved composite family of flowers. There are more kinds of asters in North America than any other genus of flowers. Ontario is home to more than 30 species of asters.
Most aster seeds spread in the fall and germinate in the spring, producing rosettes that in turn give way to flowering stalks. Once established, asters growth springs from tough rhizomes which spread and send up many new stalks.
Aster seeds are a huge source of nutritious food for birds and small mammals which over-winter in Ontario.

See also:
Flat-Topped White Aster
White Wood Aster

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