The Essential Pacific Aster

This is the first year that we have been successful with our Pacific or California asters Symphyotrichum chilense, planted as seedlings.

The Pacific asters were planted primarily as a food source for the Monarch butterflies, but now we realize what a pollinator magnet these blooms really are.

Just this afternoon I observed all of these pollinators (and more!)

A California buckeye, top photo, spent a good five minutes on these blossoms.

Here is a Leafcutting bee very busy on the blossoms.

In the autumn, the Pacific aster is a crucial pollen source for pollinators.

Here a Fiery Skipper male is wooing a Fiery Skipper female.

The female is paler in color with lighter markings.

The Pacific Aster provides nectar in the autumn, when it starts to bloom, and is the host plant for checkerspot and crescent butterflies.

A lovely Painted Lady sipping nectar from an aster.

And of course there are cuckoo bees visiting, too.