Saving White Wood : What you can do to help White Wood Aster ( divaricata) is a woodland . This plant blooms in the fall and produces numerous flat-topped white that gradually turn bronze-purple as the ages. The white flowers differentiate White Wood Aster from other woodland asters with heart-shaped lower , such as Heart- leaved Aster, Fringed Blue Aster and Large- leaved Aster — all of which usually have bluish flowers.

Do you live near White Wood Aster? In Canada, White Wood Aster occurs in southern Ontario and southwestern . It grows in open, dry deciduous forests and thickets. It is also common along the edges of trails. In Ontario, White Wood Aster is found in forests dominated by Sugar Maple or American Beech, often with Red Oak, White Oak, Black Oak, Shagbark Hickory and Basswood. It requires well-drained soils although it is known to thrive during wet years. Photo: Patrick O’Hara

What you can do to help Field check  Learn to identify this plant. If you are lucky  Height: up to 30 cm enough to discover a new population of White  Leaves: alternate; coarse textured; Wood Aster, be sure to report it to the Ontario upper leaves deeply serrated, narrow Ministry of Natural Resources or the Natural Heritage Information Centre. and pointed; lower leaves heart- shaped  Do not collect this plant or its parts for medicinal, ornamental or any other uses.  Stem: dark  Learn to identify invasive species,  Flowers: narrow, long known as especially Garlic Mustard. Your local “rays” and yellow centres Conservation Authority or Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Office can provide you with information on invasive species that occur in your area and what you can do to Did you know? help prevent their spread. Garlic Mustard is a very invasive plant that is  Maintain a naturally-vegetated buffer gradually crowding out between White Wood Aster and areas you White Wood Aster at use herbicides. Chemicals contained in the some of its remaining herbicides may be harmful to this plant. sites. Stop its spread! Saving White Wood Aster

More Best Stewardship Practices Status  Stay on designated trails when walking, White Wood Aster is listed as Threatened cycling or driving an off-road vehicle in a nationally and provincially. It is illegal to kill, natural area to avoid trampling vegetation harm or collect the species, or to destroy its and damaging sensitive habitat. habitat in Ontario. This plant is also protected  Keep your pets on a leash when you walk under The Natural Heritage component of the them in natural areas, as pets can transport Provincial Policy Statement under Ontario's invasive plant seeds if they get stuck in the Planning Act. pet's hair. Carolinian Canada Coalition is working with  Avoid dumping waste of any kind in local Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources natural areas. Garbage damages , Offices, Conservation Authorities and other pollutes the environment and may introduce Non-Governmental Organizations to recover invasive species. Species at Risk.  Landscape with native plant species from You can help the recovery efforts by protecting local seed-stock supplied by a reputable this species and its habitat. garden centre.  Learn about stewardship activities in your Good sources of information area and actively participate in protecting Species at Risk. To find more information Carolinian Canada Coalition: about stewardship activities in your area, www.carolinian.org contact your local Stewardship Council or Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources: Conservation Authority. Includes information about Ontario Species at Risk  Take advantage of the Environmental www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/ Farm Plan program. To learn more contact Natural Heritage Information Centre the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources or http://nhic.mnr.gov.on.ca/ the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Find your local Conservation Authority Office: Rural Affairs. www.conservationontario.ca  If you have Species at Risk on your Government of Canada Species at Risk Public property, you may be eligible for stewardship Registry: programs or financial incentives that support www.sararegistry.gc.ca the protection and recovery of Species at Find your local Stewardship Council: Risk and their habitats. Contact the Ontario www.ontariostewardship.org Ministry of Natural Resources for more Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural information. Affairs  Report any illegal activity related to plants www.omafra.gov.on.ca/ and wildlife to 1-877-TIPS-MNR (847-7667) Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association Includes information about the Environmental Farm Plan ontariosoilcrop.org

Assistance for this project was provided by the Environment Environnement Government of Ontario Canada Canada