Homeowner Stunned to Find Native Plant in Its Full Bloom Despite 4-Inch Snow Blanketing Their Garden

Humans love to diversify their gardens with a variety of plants, a practice known as companion planting. When in full bloom during the spring, such diverse gardens look mesmerizing and attract beneficial insects, deter pests, and also improve soil health, per The Homestead Garden. But the survival of all the plants cannot be ensured since each possesses distinct characteristics and thus, has unalike needs. Native plants, on the contrary, have a superior power over the other plants in a garden, as they are true to the soil grown and have been so for decades. 

With that said, a Reddit user who goes by u/Nikeflies was surprised to find a tiny Bluewood Aster plant still flowering after a significant period of snow. They were essentially clueless about the plant’s survival through the harsh winters, with temperatures falling to as low as minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit. The post also revealed that the region had witnessed about 2 to 4 inches of snow earlier that week, and yet, the native plant was seen flowering with a retained blue color. “Not sure how this Blue Wood Aster is still flowering, we've had multiple nights in the mid-20s and 2-4 inches of snow earlier this week,” the post’s caption stated. 

Simultaneously, the post was acknowledged by a flood of comments from netizens curious about the plant’s survival. Several fellow Reddit users shared their personal experiences of uncovering blue wood aster plants from beneath layers of snow while some others were concerned about their dying plants of the same species. One internet user (u/nyet-marionetka) hilariously wrote, “I went out and showed this to my blue wood asters to shame them for wimping out.” Another netizen (u/Suspicious-Bit5233) speculated about the plant’s health and said, “Clearly it's wearing a beautiful color, so it can't be cold.”

"Blue wood aster gives zero f***s! Our native plants are beasts!” another comment by a person (u/trucker96961) hailed while adding that they had one blue wood aster flowering until last week in addition to a “small patch of carpet phlox with 1 flower.” Another netizen (u/Realistic-Reception5) recalled some “iNaturalist observations” of these plants blooming in early January in New York City. The comment explained, “As long as you’ve got a period of mild weather sometime in early winter it’s possible.” Scientifically called Symphyotrichum cordifolium, they are a perennial herbaceous flowering plant that generally grows up to three feet, per the North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. These flowering plants are native to regions of central and eastern North America.

Kiersten Rankel, a certified Louisiana Master Naturalist, detailed the lifecycle and growth patterns of a Bluewood Aster in a Greg report. She explained that the plant undergoes four main stages– germination, growth, flowering, and dormancy. The latter occurs soon after early fall as the temperatures begin to drop. The plants’ regrowth mechanism is highly dependent on its extensive root system that allows it to grow fresh annually while exhibiting a bright display of blooms. Bluewood Asters are a gardener’s favorite because of the resilience and adaptability of these flowering plants. Longer daylight hours in spring and summer signal its blooming patterns whereas the shorter days in winter allow the plants to prepare for dormancy.