October Skies Aster
Aster oblongifolius 'October Skies'
- Stay Protected with Plant Sentry ™
October Skies Aster - #1 Container is backordered and will ship as soon as it is back in stock.
Plant Sentry™
Plant Sentry™
Plant Sentry is designed to protect both consumers and the nursery trade from invasive plant pests and diseases. Sites that display the Plant Sentry protection badge are protected from consumers buying and nurseries shipping material carrying invasive pests and diseases.
This proprietary eCommerce software prevents the shipment of a restricted plant to each state. The Plant Sentry system includes a shipment certification program. The Plant Sentry Compliance Officer works closely with NatureHills.com and each nursery or fulfillment center to ensure only compliant plants are sold to customers.
Click Here to learn more
Delivery and Shipping
Delivery and Shipping
Shipping
To obtain a more accurate shipment time-frame, simply enter your zip code in the “Find Your Growing Zone” box to the right. Our plants are grown all over the country and lead time on items may be different because of this. Once your order is placed, you will also receive the specific shipment time-frame information as part of your order confirmation. Once an item ships, you will receive shipment notification and tracking numbers, so you can follow along while your plant travels to your doorstep. We use FedEx, UPS, or USPS at our discretion.
Due to winter weather we have put a hold on shipping to the areas shown below in grey. You can still order now and we will ship the plant to you during an appropriate time for your zone.
Standard Shipping Rates
At Nature Hills we handle, package and ship the products you order with the utmost care to ensure healthy delivery. Shipping and handling charges are calculated based on the tables below. Please note that some items include an additional handling surcharge, these will be noted on the item's product page.
| From | To | S&H |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $19.99 | $24.99 |
| $20 | $49.99 | $29.99 |
| $50 | $69.99 | $34.99 |
| $70 | $99.99 | $39.99 |
| $100 | $129.99 | $44.99 |
| $130 | $149.99 | $48.99 |
| $150 | $150+ | Approx 28% |
Click here to see our full rates
Understanding Plant Options
Nature Hills offers plants in two main formats:
- Container Plants: Grown in pots with soil, sized by container volume and plant age
- Bare Root Plants: Dormant plants without soil, sized by height measurements
Container Plant Sizes
Container sizes indicate plant age and growing capacity rather than liquid volume equivalents. Our containers follow industry-standard nursery "trade gallon" specifications, which differ from standard liquid gallon measurements.
Young Plants (6 months to 18 months old)
| Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 2" x 2" x 3" | 0.18 - 0.21 dry quarts | 0.20 - 0.23 dry liters |
| 4" Container | 0.31 - 0.87 dry quarts | 0.35 - 0.96 dry liters |
| 4.5" Container | 0.65 dry quarts | 0.72 dry liters |
| 6" Container | 1.4 dry quarts | 1.59 dry liters |
| 1 Quart | 1 dry quart | 1.1 dry liters |
| 5.5" Container | 1.89 dry quarts | 2.08 dry liters |
Established Plants (18 months to 2.5 years old)
| Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Quart | 2 dry quarts | 2.2 dry liters |
| #1 Container | 2.26 - 3.73 dry quarts | 2.49 - 4.11 dry liters |
| 5" x 5" x 12" | 3.5 - 4.3 dry quarts | 3.85 - 4.74 dry liters |
Mature Plants (2-4 years old)
| Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| #2 Container | 1.19 - 1.76 dry gallons | 5.24 - 7.75 dry liters |
| #3 Container | 2.15 - 2.76 dry gallons | 8.14 - 12.16 dry liters |
Large Plants (3-5 years old)
| Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| #5 Container | 2.92 - 4.62 dry gallons | 12.86 - 20.35 dry liters |
| #6 Container | 5.25 - 6.01 dry gallons | 23.12 - 26.42 dry liters |
| #7 Container | 5.98 - 6.53 dry gallons | 26.34 - 28.76 dry liters |
Bare Root Plants
Bare root plants are sold by height from the root system to the top of the plant. Plants may exceed minimum height requirements.
Common Sizes:
- Trees: 1 foot, 2 feet, 3 feet, 4 feet, 5 feet, 6 feet
- Shrubs & Perennials: 1 foot, 18 inches, 2 feet
Important Notes
Container Volume Specifications
- Trade Gallon Standard: Our containers follow industry-standard "trade gallon" specifications established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI Z60.1) for nursery stock
- Volume Variations: Actual soil volume may vary due to plant root systems and growing medium settlement
- Age Indicators: Container size primarily indicates plant age and maturity rather than liquid volume equivalents
Growing Conditions
- Plant size can vary based on variety and growing conditions
- Container size helps indicate plant maturity and establishment level
- Larger containers generally mean more established root systems and faster landscape establishment
Seasonal Availability
- Bare root plants are available seasonally when dormant
- Container plants are available throughout the growing season
- Specific varieties may have limited availability in certain sizes
Questions?
For questions about specific plant sizes or availability, please contact our plant experts who can help you choose the right size for your landscape needs.
Plant Highlights
October Skies Aster highlights at a glance!
Specifications
Specifications
-
Brand
-
Botanical Name
-
Growing Zones
-
Mature Height
-
Mature Spread
-
Sun ExposureFull Sun
-
Moisture
-
Soil
-
Growth RateMedium
-
Flower Color
-
Pollinator Friendly
-
Pollinator Required
-
Pruning Time
-
Bloom PeriodSummer, Fall
Growing Zones 3-8
Get long-lasting prolific color and massive butterfly attraction in the fall! But it's not just about the butterflies... Are you kidding? Of course, it's all about the butterflies! Though they are one amazing visual benefits that October Skies Aster (Aster oblongifolius 'October Skies') delivers to your late-season landscape!
Asters are an extremely important nectar source for butterflies late in the season. Showy, long-lived blooms feed hungry animals from late summer, through fall up to frost. Let's talk about those open, inviting, tender, lavender-blue blooms, which are shaped like a delicate Daisy. They feature a sweet yellow spotlight right in the center, which can be kind of hard to see, due to the sheer number of butterflies flitting from flower to flower!
One of the last plants to bloom in the season, and it is usually in full swing after the worst of the summer heat has passed. Smart gardeners plan for fall because they know they'll LOVE entertaining outside surrounded by flowers - 'flying flowers' that is - without breaking a sweat. Hardy throughout USDA arctic zone 3 through mild zone 8, these have all the native adaptability and hardiness you'd expect from these wildflower cousins! Deer even leave them untouched!
Planting and Application:
This is a dwarf variety, much more compact than the species. It won't flip or flop on you. It stays put and blooms its head off for you. This has a mounding habit, so you could place it near the edge of garden beds or use it as the filler in containers. Add seasonal décor to front entry pots and patio planters! Container gardeners without a yard or yard space can enjoy these late-season living decorations in windowboxes and balcony planters!
In the landscape, any garden with a couple of Asters in it becomes a pollinator garden! Vital nectar resources right when pollinators and bees need them most! Enliven your cottage and cut flower gardens, use as edging along paths, foundation plantings or around a statue or urn to further highlight it! Great facer plants and polite mounded growth look great when mixed among other perennials, ornamental grasses and edging garden borders!
- Cheerful Lavender-Blue Blooms
- Native Cultivar Selection
- Bee & Butterfly Magnet
- Fall Color Mainstay Wildflower
- Containers & Planters, Beds & Borders, Edging & Fall Décor
#ProPlantTips for Care:
Super easy care when grown in moist, these herbaceous perennials prefer well-drained soil and full sun. Plant Asters in moderately moist to low moisture soil and a healthy bed of mulch to keep its roots cool and hydrated. This Aster doesn't like to dry out in the summer heat. Pinching back the stem tips in late spring and early summer will produce denser growth and heavier blooming. This plant may be divided every few years in the spring.
- Full Sun Loving
- Adaptable Cold & Heat Hardy
- Moderate Moisture & Well-Drained Soils
- Pinch Back in Late Spring/Early Summer
- Deer Seldom Bother Them
Darling little plants with incredible versatility and adaptability in the landscape, you'll be glad you chose the October Skies Aster from Nature Hills Nursery! You Butterflies will be glad you did too!
