Today, we’re going back to our roots, as it were. I’m gonna tell you about an actual plant in my yard as I learn about it myself.
So, meet Symphyotrichum Lanceolatum.
Panicled Aster, if ya nasty.
Now, my first question is this: How do we pronounce Panicled Aster?
In my brain, it’s Panic-Led Aster, like this flower named Aster, which is led by panic.
That’s probably not correct, though.
How would you pronounce it? I’m not finding a very clear answer on the Internet, but the search function on Google has gone to hell nowadays.
*old woman shakes fist at sky*
Back in my day, I could easily and quickly find anything I wanted. Nowadays, I get what AI THINKS I should want. Bleh and puh.
So, Panicled Aster.
Cute, right? Let’s learn more about it.
First, it’s a perennial, which means it will be back next year! Woo-hoo! I love it because it’s pretty, and I don’t have much blooming at the moment. I’m going to have to put some work in this year, so I have more fall-blooming plants in my garden.
It’s native to North America and loves damp areas. My guess is that this is thriving so well in our yard because the river is right there, you know?
These tiny flowers are super-important for fall pollinators.
I guess I’m not the only one that doesn’t have a lot blooming right now.
Here are some other fun facts about this cute plant that lives in my yard:
- Indigenous people have used it for various uses, including wound care and stopping nosebleeds.
- It’s used in the cut flower industry!
- Midges and leaf-mining insects do the most damage to this plant.
And to that, I say:
- Good to know. I will tuck that information away for the apocalypse.
- Ugh, yes, I can see these tinybabes used to flesh out wedding bouquets, especially.
- I am surprised there isn’t a leaf-mining insect video game yet.
One more thing before we say farewell – I want to look up the root words.
Here is what I think it means before I research “Symphyotrichum lanceolatum.”
Symphyotrichum: Hair Symphony
lanceolatum: Medieval Sword
So, in my brain, the Latin name of this plant is a Song played with a stringed instrument about a sharp object.
Let’s find out the real story.
Symphyo: To unite
Trichun: Hair-like (I KILLED ITTTTTT)
Lanceolatum: From the root word “Lanceola,” this means Lance
This is like getting extensions, I guess. You know, uniting hair by adding the extensions and then lancing (cutting) it to make it all blend together.
Whatever the name means, I love them. I think they are cute, and I’m happy to have them here at the Professor Haus.
