The following is a submission from a Gustavus student in Dr. Cindy Johnson’s “Interpreting the Fall Landscape” class held in the Arboretum. Special thanks to Dr. Johnson and her students…..
New England Prairie Aster
by Jennifer Steffen
September 24th, 2013
Sunny; fair skies; Temp Low 70’s
I was out in Purple Coneflower Prairie a little before sunset. Deciding that I wanted to go see what kind of species the trees in the middle of the prairie are, I came across this wild flower. Looks like a New England Aster. It seemed very bright and vivid compared to some of the paler looking asters I saw earlier this fall. On meeting the trees in the middle grove, I think they are baby big tooth aspen trees. A ways after the tree grove, I came to a grassy deer bed. It was soft, free the stiff dry plants I had been going through. It was a nice haven for a bit to see the sunset.
