What's in Bloom Scavenger Hunt: October 2026

Have you seen me in the Park?

Hi, I’m Frost or Hairy Aster (Symphyotrichum pilosum)!

I’m a native Missouri wildflower, also called Hairy Aster, and I bloom from late summer through fall (August to October). I can grow about 4 feet tall and just as wide, with leafy stems that sometimes branch. My flowers grow in branching clusters at the tops of my stems and where my upper leaves meet the stem. Each flower has 15 to 35 white petal-like rays surrounding a center of pale yellow disc flowers, which turn reddish-purple as they age.

I’m easy to grow and prefer moist, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. In Missouri, you can find me in prairies, meadows, pastures, open woodlands, glades, old fields, and along roadsides. I’m best known for my extremely hairy stems and leaves, so look closely!

Can you spot me in Tower Grove Park?

Clues to Find Me:

  1. Look for a bushy plant about 4 feet tall with clusters of small white, daisy-like flowers blooming from August through October.

  2. Check my flower centers! They start out pale yellow and turn reddish-purple with age, so you may see both colors on the same plant.

  3. Get up close and look at my stems and leaves. They’re extremely hairy, which is how I got my name!

Challenge: Snap a photo, share it on Instagram, and tag us @TowerGrovePark using #TGPinBloomHunt!

Have fun getting creative with your photos—just remember, don’t pick the flowers!

Jenelle Ellis