New England Aster Traditional Cache

New England Asters are near Knapweed around GZ. The Asters are more purple and have a daisy style center. It's a great road for a walk as you are not allowed to drive it. I park at the side of the road, just after Pleasanr Hollow Rd.

New England Aster.

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae (L.) G L Nesom. (formerly Aster novae-angliae L.), commonly known as the New England aster, hairy Michaelmas-daisy or Michaelmas daisy, is a flowering herbaceous perennial plant in the Asteraceae family. It is native to almost every area in North America east of the Rocky Mountains, but excluding the far north of Canada as well as some of the southern United States. Symphyotrichum novae-angliae was introduced to Europe in 1710; a common garden escape, it has naturalized along roadsides and on disturbed ground.

The plant grows up to 120 cm (47 in) with a stout, hairy stem and clasping, lance-shaped leaves with entire margins.

The flower heads are showy with yellow disc florets at the center and ray florets that range from a deep purple or rose to rarely white.

This species inhabits a wide variety of habitats and soil types, though it does not tolerate strong shade.

Uses among Native Americans

The Cherokee use a poultice of the roots for pain, an infusion of the roots for diarrhea, and sniff the ooze from the roots for catarrh. They also take an infusion of the plant for fever. The Chippewa smoke the roots in pipes to attract game.The Iroquois use a decoction of the plant for weak skin, use a decoction of the roots and leaves for fevers, use the plant as a "love medicine", and use an infusion of whole plant and rhizomes from another plant to treat mothers with intestinal fevers. The Meskwaki  smudge the plant and use it to revive unconscious people, and the Prairie Potwatomi use it as a fumigating reviver.

Cultivation

Owing to its attractive flowers, numerous cultivars have been developed. Moreover, as a result of its increased horticultural popularity, it has been introduced to many areas beyond its natural range, including Europe and several western US states.

Cultivars

Over 70 cultivars of Symphyotrichum novae-angliae have been raised, although only about 50 survive in commerce today. There is less diversity of habit and flower than in novi-belgii, whose cultivars are often derived from hybrids. The novae-angliae cultivars grow to between 90 and 180 cm in height, with the notable exception of "Purple Dome", at <60 cm.

The cache is a tied in, camoed, "small" pill bottle. This one has a tab on the bottle, that you push down to be able to screw off and on the cap. Please BYOP and put everything back as you found it, with the rubber band around the log and in the sealed plastic bag.