Bloomipedia
Whorled wood aster (Oclemena acuminata)
Photo: Even Dankowicz via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Whorled wood aster

Oclemena acuminata

Native in the lower 48

Whorled wood aster is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 3 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in July–October.

17states
3of our state lists
9,426U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont

Quick look

Oclemena acuminata, commonly known as whorled wood aster, is a species of flowering plant in the aster family Asteraceae. It is native to eastern North America. It is one of the parent species of the hybrid known as Blake's aster.

  • 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 17 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont. NatureServe
  • In New Hampshire, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in July–October. iNaturalist
  • In Maine, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in July–October. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 2,172 research-grade sightings of it in New Hampshire, ranking #20 among the 109 flowers on our New Hampshire list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 1,926 research-grade sightings of it in Maine, ranking #27 among the 110 flowers on our Maine list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 1,523 research-grade sightings of it in Vermont, ranking #54 among the 110 flowers on our Vermont list. iNaturalist

Whorled wood aster gift ideas

Handmade whorled wood 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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    Whorled wood aster art print

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When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (1,579 records)
Bloom time in each of our 3 states
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
New HampshireNativeJuly–October2,172
MaineNativeJuly–October1,926
VermontNativeAugust–October1,523

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
New Hampshire
Not listed Not on New Hampshire Official Rare Plants List (Ncr 312, eff. Jan 1, 2020). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in New Hampshire. NH Ncr 312
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
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: KY (S2), OH (SH), SC (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

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 whorled wood aster in 17 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Connecticut, Georgia, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia.

New Hampshire counties with USDA records: Belknap, Carroll, Cheshire, Coos, Grafton, Hillsborough, Merrimack, Rockingham, Strafford, Sullivan.

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, Chittenden, Essex, Franklin, Lamoille, Orange, Orleans, Rutland, Washington, Windham, Windsor.

More New Hampshire flowers

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White snakeroot (Ageratina altissima)

White snakeroot

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Chicory (Cichorium intybus)

Chicory

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🌼 Blooms in NH: June–October

Sources