On my last hike on the local, Missouri prairie, I found a lot of Asters blooming, making for a colorful hike. Here are a couple of my favorite images:
Missouri has several species of Asters, including some white, blue, purple and even yellow ones. I’m not sure on this species, but believe it is the Oblong-leaved Aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium). These wildflowers are in the Daisy family and grow up to 3-feet tall. They are perennials, with each flower having 20-40 ray florets, usually blue or purple. They can bloom from July to November.
Photographic Equipment Used:
- Canon 5D Mark 3 body
- Canon EF180mm, f/3.5 macro lens
- Bogen 3221 tripod with Graff Studioball SB-QR ballhead
- ISO 800 (due to gusty winds)
- Aperture f/3.5
- Shutter 1/80 sec. (top), 1/50 sec. (bottom)