Tatarian aster
Aster tataricus
Family: Asteraceae
What it is like
A tall herb. It keeps growing from year to year. It is 1.5-2 m tall and spreads 1-1.2 m wide. The stem has a thickened base. The leaves have long stalks. They are rough and hairy. They are narrowly oval and 40 cm long. There are teeth around the edge. The daisy like flowers are in flat topped arrangements. They are purple to blue.
There are about 250 Aster species.
Where it is found
A temperate plant. It is hardy to frost. In north China it grows on damp riverbanks between 400-3,300 m above sea level. In Sichuan.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Australia, China, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, North America, Russia, Siberia, Tasmania, USA
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Leaves