Flower profile

Flat-top white aster

Doellingeria umbellata

Native in the lower 48

Flat-top white aster is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 2 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in July–September.

31states

2of our state lists

11,728U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Maine, Vermont

Quick look

Doellingeria umbellata, known by the common names tall flat-topped white aster, parasol whitetop, or tall white-aster, is a North American plant species in the family Asteraceae. It is native to Canada, St. Pierre and Miquelon, and the eastern and north-central United States (from Nebraska and the Dakotas east to Maine and South to Mississippi, Georgia and the Florida Panhandle.
From Wikipedia's article Doellingeria umbellata, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Asteraceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 31 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to Maine and Vermont. ^NatureServe
In Maine, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in July–September. ^iNaturalist
In Vermont, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in July–September. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 2,744 research-grade sightings of it in Maine, ranking #13 among the 110 flowers on our Maine list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 1,403 research-grade sightings of it in Vermont, ranking #59 among the 110 flowers on our Vermont list. ^iNaturalist

Flat-top white aster gift ideas

Handmade flat-top white aster gifts from independent makers.

🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.

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Flat-top white aster art print
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Flat-top white aster embroidery pattern
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Flat-top white aster sticker
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When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (2,860 records)

Bloom time in each of our 2 states

State	Type	Peak bloom	Sightings*
Maine	Native	July–September	2,744
Vermont	Native	July–September	1,403

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: G5 Secure worldwide. ^NatureServe
Maine: Not listed Not on Maine Rare Plant List (Maine Natural Areas Program, 2021). E and T are Maine's official endangered and threatened plants (12 M.R.S.); SC and PE are tracking categories. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Maine. ^{Maine rare plant list}
Vermont: Not listed Not on Endangered and Threatened Plants of Vermont (10 V.S.A. chap. 123; list of Feb 10, 2022). NatureServe: S5, secure in Vermont. ^{Vermont E&T list}
Rare elsewhere: No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. ^{NC State Extension}

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records flat-top white aster in 31 states plus Washington, D.C.

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recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin; District of Columbia.

Maine counties with USDA records: Androscoggin, Aroostook, Cumberland, Franklin, Hancock, Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Oxford, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Sagadahoc, Somerset, Waldo, Washington, York.

Vermont counties with USDA records: Addison, Bennington, Caledonia, Chittenden, Essex, Franklin, Lamoille, Orleans, Rutland, Washington, Windham, Windsor.

More Maine flowers

Common yarrow

Achillea millefolium

Native

🌼 Blooms in ME: June–October

White snakeroot

Ageratina altissima

Native

🌼 Blooms: August–October

Chicory

Cichorium intybus

Introduced

🌼 Blooms in ME: June–October

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile DOUM2.
iNaturalist, Doellingeria umbellata: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Doellingeria umbellata (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Maine: Maine Rare Plant List (Maine Natural Areas Program, 2021). E and T are Maine's official endangered and threatened plants (12 M.R.S.); SC and PE are tracking categories.
Maine: Maine Do Not Sell invasive plant list (01-001 C.M.R. ch. 273).
Vermont: Endangered and Threatened Plants of Vermont (10 V.S.A. chap. 123; list of Feb 10, 2022).
Vermont: Vermont Quarantine List, Regulated Introduced Plant Species Rule (eff. June 16, 2026).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Doellingeria umbellata (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
Photo: Micki Colbeck via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.