This description provides characteristics that may be relevant to fire ecology, and is not meant for identification. Keys for identification are available [42,71,82,86,91,103,112,116].
Bigleaf aster is a native perennial forb. It is rhizomatous and colonial, often forming dense patches measuring up to 19 Ã 16 feet (5.8 Ã 5 m) [114]. It has basal and cauline leaves. The large basal leaves are borne on short, sterile shoots. They are thick, firm, and have long petioles. The cauline leaves become smaller and stalkless as they ascend the inflorescence. The inflorescence is a corymb that reaches heights of 5 feet (1.5 m). The corymb has sticky, glandular hairs. Flowers have both ray and disc florets. The fruit is a nutlet and is ellipsoid to oblanceolate, ribbed, and pubescent. The seed has a pappus [42,54,57,58,82,85,103].
Physiology: Bigleaf aster can persist in high light environments because of its ability to control stomatal conductance. Increases in evaporative loading, created in high light environments, initiate stomatal closure to prevent excessive water loss [89].
Fire adaptations: Bigleaf aster sprouts from rhizomes and root crowns after top-kill by fire. It also establishes after fire by dispersing seeds onto mineral soil from adjacent unburned areas [17,50].
FIRE REGIMES for boreal forest communities, where bigleaf aster occurs most often, are mixed to high severity with fire return intervals ranging from 35 to 200 years. The northern hardwood forests, where bigleaf aster is also known to occur, historically burned infrequently: fire return intervals often greater than 1,000 years. When these forests do burn, fires tend to be low severity because the fuels are relatively wet [15].
The following table provides fire return intervals for plant communities and ecosystems where bigleaf aster is important. Find fire regime information for the plant communities in which this species may occur by entering the species name in the FEIS home page under "Find FIRE REGIMES".
Community or Ecosystem Dominant Species Fire Return Interval Range (years) maple-beech Acer-Fagus spp. 684-1,385 [25,113] maple-beech-birch Acer-Fagus-Betula spp. >1,000 silver maple-American elm Acer saccharinum-Ulmus americana <5 to 200 sugar maple Acer saccharum >1,000 sugar maple-basswood Acer saccharum-Tilia americana >1,000 [113] birch Betula spp. 80-230 [105] beech-sugar maple Fagus spp.-Acer saccharum >1,000 black ash Fraxinus nigra 113] green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica <35 to >300 [33,113] tamarack Larix laricina 35-200 [80] yellow-poplar Liriodendron tulipifera <35 [113] Great Lakes spruce-fir Picea-Abies spp. 35 to >200 northeastern spruce-fir Picea-Abies spp. 35-200 black spruce Picea mariana 35-200 conifer bog* Picea mariana-Larix laricina 35-200 red spruce* Picea rubens 35-200 [32] jack pine Pinus banksiana <35 to 200 [25,32] red pine (Great Lakes region) Pinus resinosa 3-18 (x=3-10) [24,40] red-white pine* (Great Lakes region) Pinus resinosa-P. strobus 3-200 [25,49,64] eastern white pine Pinus strobus 35-200 eastern white pine-eastern hemlock Pinus strobus-Tsuga canadensis 35-200 eastern white pine-northern red oak-red maple Pinus strobus-Quercus rubra-Acer rubrum 35-200 [113] aspen-birch Populus tremuloides-Betula papyrifera 35-200 [32,113] black cherry-sugar maple Prunus serotina-Acer saccharum >1,000 oak-hickory Quercus-Carya spp. <35 northeastern oak-pine Quercus-Pinus spp. 10 to <35 white oak-black oak-northern red oak Quercus alba-Q. velutina-Q. rubra <35 northern pin oak Quercus ellipsoidalis <35 bur oak Quercus macrocarpa <10 chestnut oak Quercus prinus 3-8 northern red oak Quercus rubra 10 to <35 black oak Quercus velutina <35 [113] eastern hemlock-yellow birch Tsuga canadensis-Betula alleghaniensis 100-240 [105,113] eastern hemlock-white pine Tsuga canadensis-Pinus strobus x=47 [25] *fire return interval varies widely; trends in variation are noted in the species reviewBigleaf aster occupies dry to moist, nutrient poor to intermediate nutrient sites on Isle Royale National Park, Michigan [46].
The following table describes site characteristics for bigleaf aster throughout its distribution.
State/Region/Province Site Characteristics Georgia Woodlands, wooded road banks, and mountains [82] Illinois Dry open woods [71] Michigan Drier sites, less often in swamp forests and river banks [112] Tennessee Woodlands, wooded road banks, and mountains Virginia Woodlands, wooded road banks, and mountains [82] West Virginia Dry to open woods and mountains [82,103] Adirondack Mountains, New York Shaded, well-drained sites, 100 to 3,400 feet (30-1,000 m) [61] Blue Ridge Mountains Rich woods [116] Isle Royale National Park, Michigan Dry to moist, nutrient poor to intermediate nutrient sites [46] Nova Scotia Dry woods, thickets, open barrens, often growing in the shade [86]White-tailed deer commonly graze bigleaf aster [10,22,52]. Bigleaf aster is also a component of the summer diet of moose on Isle Royale National Park [72].
Palatability/nutritional value: No information is available on this topic.
Cover value: Bigleaf aster may be an important habitat component for ruffed grouse. It is an important ground cover species in upland forest types of northern Minnesota, where ruffed grouse are common [67].
Bigleaf aster is recognized as a dominant species in the following vegetation
classifications:
Adirondack Mountains, New York
wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens)/bigleaf aster type
beaked hazel (Corylus cornuta var. cornuta)/bigleaf aster type
bigleaf aster-whorled woody aster (Oclemena acuminata)-wild sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis) type [48]
Boreal forests of North America
black spruce (Picea mariana)/red osier dogwood (Cornus stolonifera)/bigleaf aster/red baneberry (Actaea rubra)
white spruce-fir (Picea glauca-Abies spp.)/beaked hazel/bush-honeysuckle (Diervilla lonicera)/bigleaf aster-wood anemone (Anemone quinquefolia) [34]
Bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum) is a common dominant associate of bigleaf aster in Wisconsin [28].
The literature reviewed below indicates positive and negative aspects of bigleaf aster
to considered when deciding how to manage bigleaf aster populations.
Disturbance:
Bigleaf aster responds favorably to other disturbances besides fire. Logging,
windthrow, and road construction have all had positive effects on bigleaf aster
populations [27,45,68,78,79,96,112]. When light, nutrients, and mineral soil become more
abundant, as is the case following tree canopy removal, bigleaf aster enters a
phase of "release" growth, increasing rapidly by vegetative
reproduction and seeds [16,17]. Powell and Brooks [81] report, however, that
bigleaf aster exhibited "significantly greater cover" (p<0.01) in the remaining standing forest
than in the disturbed areas 2 years after tornado blowdown on a mixed conifer/northern hardwood
forest in northern Minnesota.
Interference:
Bigleaf aster is a major competitor for light, water,
nutrients, and rooting space
[17,63,95]. The dense, mat-like underground
roots and rhizomes often exclude other species including conifer germinants
[17,39,63]. Bigleaf aster may be allelopathic for some plant species [17,29]. The leachates of bigleaf aster
foliage inhibited germination and early growth of white and black spruce [36]. In laboratory
studies bigleaf aster reduced height growth, dry weight of roots and shoots, and the formation of
secondary needles of red pine seedlings. It also reduced radicle elongation and
slightly hindered the germination of red pine seeds [74]. Allelopathic agents of
the Eurybia genus negatively affect black cherry and sugar maple [36].
Disease:
Bigleaf aster is an alternate host of jack pine needle rust (Coleosporeum
asterum) [8]. Its development may be slowed by jack pine needle rust infection,
reducing bigleaf aster cover [11,95].
Bigleaf aster responds favorably to fire, regenerating vegetatively from rhizomes and root crowns soon afterwards [3,17,18,19,20,65]. It often increases in abundance and produces more flowers after fire [2,70,99,104,106,112]. It is a dominant herb after wildland and prescribed fires, is present before and after burning, and is found on burned and unburned areas [1,2,4,9,59,70]. Sidhu [96] stated that the postfire response of bigleaf aster is affected more by fire intensity than by the time of burning. The greater the fire intensity, the greater the negative effect on bigleaf aster [96]. Research reveals, however, that bigleaf aster is capable of vegetative regrowth after low- and high-severity fires.
Smith [100] stated that the greatest abundance of bigleaf aster occurred after low-severity surface fires. "Vigorous" growth was observed the 1st growing season following a spring low-severity prescribed fire on eastern white pine forests in New Hampshire and for 3 postfire growing seasons after a spring wildfire in mature red and eastern white pine stands in northeastern Minnesota [6,19,20]. Bigleaf aster density increased immediately following a spring wildfire in a jack pine forest in northeastern Minnesota, making it 1 of the most common herbs on the site. The fire had varied intensities, including areas with intense crown fire and low-severity surface fire. The forest floor was still moist, with the fire occurring in May, so areas that did experience high-severity fire had only the upper portion of the forest floor burned [14,52,75,76].
Bigleaf aster sprouts were recorded within weeks and months after high-severity wildfires on alvar woodlands (white spruce, quaking aspen, northern white-cedar (Thuja occidentalis), and balsam fir (Abies balsamea)) and on old-growth red and eastern white pine forests in Ontario [18,65,97].
Bigleaf aster can be reduced by fire [45]. The percent cover of bigleaf aster declined after both low- and high-severity prescribed burns on jack pine forests in northern Ontario, but bigleaf aster maintained at least 10% cover in the 10 years monitored after the fire. The percent cover decline was greater on the high-severity burns than on the low-severity burns [66]. Postfire density of bigleaf aster was recorded the 1st growing season after a spring (low-severity) and a summer (high-severity) fire in northern Minnesota. Bigleaf aster responded less vigorously after the summer wildfire compared to the spring wildfire, with densities averaging 10 stems/m² and 19 stems/m², respectively [77]. On bracken fern-grasslands in Wisconsin, bigleaf aster decreased after fire. However, the change in the percent frequency from before (23.3%) and after fire (17.7%) was only 5.6% [111].
Bigleaf aster also persists after fire by dispersing seeds onto mineral soil from adjacent undisturbed areas [17,50].
Bigleaf aster regenerates by seed and vegetative means. Regeneration is largely by vegetative means from rhizomes and root crown sprouts [2,17,78,118].
Pollination: Plants in the genus Eurybia are insect pollinated [13].
Breeding system: Plants in the genus Eurybia are gynomonoecious and dichogamous [13]. Natural hybridization is common in the genus Eurybia [87].
The annual clonal expansion of bigleaf aster can be up to a horizontal distance equivalent to the mother plant's height [69,98].
Seed production: Buse and Bell [17] state that bigleaf aster produces large seed crops annually. Bigleaf aster thrives in high light, requiring a moderate amount of light for flowering and subsequent seed production [23,43]. It is frequently found in the vegetative state in densely shaded areas, and the flowering stems are typically not present [43,57,58]. Seed production in these habitats is probably not dependable unless disturbance opens the canopy, allowing increased light.
Seed dispersal: Seeds of bigleaf aster are widely dispersed by small mammals and wind [2,17,50,98].
Seed banking is poorly documented for this species. Ahlgren [7] stated that there were no bigleaf aster seeds found in soil taken from burned and unburned sites in Minnesota.
Germination: No information is available on this topic.
Seedling establishment/growth: A greenhouse study was done on intact soil blocks taken from an unburned site and adjacent burned site, 3 years after a spring wildland fire in old-growth red pine (Pinus resinosa) in northeastern Minnesota. Bigleaf aster seedlings did not emerge on the soil taken from the burned site. Ahlgren [7] attributes this to the numerous bigleaf aster sprouts in the area, which had not recovered sufficiently to produce seed. Bigleaf aster seedlings were found on soil samples taken from the unburned site, possibly from windblown seed of older plants that flowered nearby [7].
Asexual regeneration: Bigleaf aster reproduces by rhizomes or by sprouting from the root crown [17,78,118].
Bigleaf aster is ubiquitous throughout all seral stages. On Isle Royale National Park it is the most abundant ground cover species in all age groups of postfire succession. It is present in young and old quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) stands in northwestern Ontario [53,119]. Bigleaf aster was persistent throughout all stages of succession on boreal forests of southern Quebec [31]. These examples suggest that bigleaf aster does not follow a successional trend.
The underground organs of bigleaf aster can aid in the early phases of site recovery after harvesting and fire. The dense, clonal structure of bigleaf aster was an important storage sink for nutrients after whole-tree harvesting on red maple (Acer rubrum) and northern red oak (Quercus rubra) dominated forests of the Upper Michigan Peninsula [27]. On quaking aspen communities of Minnesota and Wisconsin and boreal forests of northern Ontario, the presence of bigleaf aster in the 1st year following fire suggests that it can be a pioneer species [56,92]. Bigleaf aster was abundant in the early postfire (26- and 46-year-old stands) successional stage of boreal forests in southern Quebec [31]. It was a pioneer species during the herbaceous stage of succession on "highland hardwood" burned areas in northern Minnesota [44]. Bigleaf aster is considered a dominant, "competitive" species of early successional boreal forests of Ontario [11,95].
Bigleaf aster is moderately to very shade tolerant [47,94]. The shade tolerance of bigleaf aster allows it to dominate the understory in mid- and late-seral stages [30,94]. After canopy closure bigleaf aster can proliferate for many years by vegetative growth in the understory and by utilizing canopy gaps [30]. Understory vegetation surveys of mid- to late-seral northern hardwood and boreal forests of northern Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and southern Quebec reveal the presence and often abundance of bigleaf aster [6,26,37,88,101,108,110].
Die Großblättrige Aster (Aster macrophyllus) ist eine Pflanzenart aus der Gattung der Astern (Aster) in der Familie der Korbblütler (Asteraceae).
Die Großblättrige Aster ist eine ausdauernde Pflanze, die Wuchshöhen von 80 bis 100 Zentimetern erreicht. Sie bildet unterirdische Ausläufer aus. Die unteren Blätter sind bis zu 18 Zentimeter lang, 12 Zentimeter breit, gesägt und bilden aus sterilen Rosetten einen Laubteppich. Die Stängel sind zum Teil mit drüsigen Haaren besetzt. Die Blütenköpfe haben einen Durchmesser von 3 bis 4 Zentimeter. Der Blütenstand ist eine Schirmrispe. An den Zweigen sind fast keine Hochblätter vorhanden. Die mittleren Hüllblätter messen ungefähr 5,5 × 1,5 Millimeter, sind verkehrteilanzettlich, drüsig behaart und haben im oberen Drittel ein eiförmiges grünes Feld. Die (9) 15 bis 20 Strahlenblüten sind blass bis dunkel blauviolett gefärbt, selten auch weiß. Die Scheibenblüten sind dunkel rotbraun.
Blütezeit ist im August, zum Teil auch schon im Juli.
Die Großblättrige Aster kommt im gemäßigten Südost-Kanada und in den östlichen USA in den Appalachen in lichten Laubwäldern in Höhenlagen von 0 bis 1300 Meter vor.
Die Großblättrige Aster wird zerstreut als Zierpflanze für Gehölzgruppen und als Schnittblume genutzt.
Die Großblättrige Aster (Aster macrophyllus) ist eine Pflanzenart aus der Gattung der Astern (Aster) in der Familie der Korbblütler (Asteraceae).
Eurybia macrophylla, commonly known as the bigleaf aster,[3] large-leaved aster,[4] largeleaf aster or bigleaf wood aster, is an herbaceous perennial in the family Asteraceae that was formerly treated in the genus Aster. It is native to eastern North America, with a range extending from eastern and central Canada (from Nova Scotia to Manitoba) through the northeastern deciduous and mixed forests of New England and the Great Lakes region and south along the Appalachians as far as the northeastern corner of Georgia, and west as far as Minnesota, Missouri and Arkansas.[5] The flowers appear in the late summer to early fall and show ray florets that are usually either a deep lavender or violet, but sometimes white, and disc florets that are cream-coloured or light yellow, becoming purple as they mature. It is one of the parent species of the hybrid Eurybia × herveyi.[6]
Eurybia macrophylla is a perennial herbaceous plant with alternate, simple, toothed leaves. The basal leaves are large and heart-shaped, whereas the upper stem leaves are smaller and lance-shaped.[7] The flowers form on flat-topped corymbs.[8]
Eurybia macrophylla is native to southern parts of eastern and central Canada and to northern parts of the eastern and central United States, south to northern Georgia in the Appalachian Mountains.[6][5] In Canada, it is common in Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.[6] In the United States, it can be found in all states east of and including Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri and Tennessee.[5] It may also be present in Mississippi. The plant has also been introduced outside of its native range into northern Europe. It is most often encountered at 0 to 1300 metre (0–4300 feet) elevations in moist to dry soils in association with hemlock–northern hardwood, beech–maple or pine forests, Appalachian spruce–fir forests, as well as with aspen, pine or open spruce woodlands. It can also be found in thickets, clearings or along shaded roadsides.[6]
It is listed as endangered in Iowa and as a special concern in Rhode Island.[3]
The large, thick young leaves can be cooked and eaten as greens.[9] The Algonquin people of Quebec use the leaves in this way.[10]
The Iroquois use the root as a blood medicine, and they also use a compound decoction of the roots to loosen the bowels to treat venereal disease.[11] The Ojibwa bathe their heads with an infusion of this plant to treat headaches.[12] They also smoke it as hunting charm to attract deer.[13] They consume the young leaves of the plant as both food and medicine, and use the roots to make soup.[14]
Eurybia macrophylla, commonly known as the bigleaf aster, large-leaved aster, largeleaf aster or bigleaf wood aster, is an herbaceous perennial in the family Asteraceae that was formerly treated in the genus Aster. It is native to eastern North America, with a range extending from eastern and central Canada (from Nova Scotia to Manitoba) through the northeastern deciduous and mixed forests of New England and the Great Lakes region and south along the Appalachians as far as the northeastern corner of Georgia, and west as far as Minnesota, Missouri and Arkansas. The flowers appear in the late summer to early fall and show ray florets that are usually either a deep lavender or violet, but sometimes white, and disc florets that are cream-coloured or light yellow, becoming purple as they mature. It is one of the parent species of the hybrid Eurybia × herveyi.
Aster à grandes feuilles
Eurybia macrophylla, communément appelé Aster à grandes feuilles, est une espèce de plantes de la famille des Asteraceae.
L'Aster à grandes feuilles est une plante herbacée vivace. La tige de cette plante mesure de 60 à 100 cm de hauteur. Elle porte à sa base trois ou quatre grandes feuilles. Celles-ci sont épaisses et ont la forme d'un cœur. Elles forment aussi de nombreuses touffes stériles. Les plantes sont souvent réduites aux seules feuilles de la base. Les feuilles supérieures sont de formes variées. Les fleurs sont regroupées en inflorescences munies de glandes et visqueuses. Les rayons sont violets[3].
Il croît dans des habitats variés, dans les zones de forêts feuillues et mélangées. On le trouve dans le Sud du Québec, jusqu'au lac Saint-Jean et en Gaspésie[3].
Les autochtones d'Amérique (Amérindiens) fumaient ses grandes feuilles comme du tabac[3].
Produit un feuillage dense et peut être utilisé comme couvre-sol. Pousse dans la forêt ou à l'orée de celle-ci. Floraison blanche à la fin de l'été et début de l'automne. Très facile à réussir dans un sol frais et bien drainé[4].
Exposition soleil, résiste jusqu'à −15 °C, type de sol normal, richesse du sol normale, sol plutôt sec, pH indifférent[5].
Aster à grandes feuilles
Eurybia macrophylla, communément appelé Aster à grandes feuilles, est une espèce de plantes de la famille des Asteraceae.