New England aster is a showy, robust perennial. It blooms at the same time that fall foliage peaks, creating a striking contrast of color. The flowers are about an inch across with numerous petals that range from pink to purple. It is a favorite nectar source of migrating monarch butterflies and provides pollen for bees when there are few floral resources available. It readily self seeds and spreads by rhizome. It can become aggressive in small gardens and is better suited for larger areas. New England aster is found in wet prairies, meadows, and ditches.