Leaves large, sharp-toothed, with narrow bases, surrounding the stem in a way that makes them appear whorled. Stem hairy, often zigzag, sometimes reddish at the base.
Asters appear in autumn, when most other flowers have wilted and dried up.
Their delicate rayed flowers fill fields and woods and are a welcome sight to those who dread the end of summer. Colloquial names for asters include Fall Rose, Frost Flower, Frostweed, and Goodbye-Summer.