ABSTRACT
Aster pilosus Willd. (Compositae, Asteraceae), a native of North America, is a perennial herb with two distinct phases of growth 1 (Figure 1). The winter phase is a rosette, with relatively large leaves (up to 18 cm long and 1.8 cm wide). Stem elongation starts in spring, and stem height may reach 1 m. Secondary, tertiary, and higher orders of branching bring the plant to its summer phase, which is a bush, bearing tiny spiny leaves (0.5 × 0.1 cm). Flower buds are initiated in late summer and the flowers open in September, 2 covering the bushes with a cascade of small white flowers (Figure 1D). Ligulate florets are white and the tubular florets are yellow, turning beige before senescence. The stems subsequently dry up and break off during the winter. Sessile regeneration buds break out concurrently with stem drying.
