One aster that has been dependable in a big way for me in the fall is Tatarian aster (Aster tataricus). And I do mean big — this bodacious herbaceous perennial can easily top out at over 6 feet in the garden!

Tatarian aster is native to Asia but has had a long presence in the States. In fact, Thomas Jefferson liked this imported biggie so much that he featured it in his gardens at Monticello.

As cooler temperatures settle in for the season, Tatarian aster launches its galaxy of 1-inch, bluish-purple stars with yellow centers. These flowers are not only pretty, but they are pretty persistent, lasting for weeks. They are also welcomed fly-ins for nectar-hungry bees and butterflies still on the wing as the growing season winds down.

The straight species of Tatarian aster is, as mentioned, a big plant. So, if flower bed perennials taller than yourself make you flinch (or if you simply lack garden space), try the cultivar “Jindai,” which restrains itself to around 3- to 4-feet high but still has comparable flower power to turn heads in the fall.

Jindai is a popular cultivar, and it will most likely be the Tatarian aster you will find for sale at garden centers this fall (probably in full bloom). If your search locally comes up empty, Jindai is an easy online find, but because of physical impracticality of shipping mature plants, bet the farm what you will get is a nubby little number that takes at least a year to settle in and start flaunting flowers.

Tatarian aster is a deer-resistant toughie that can grow in most types of soil, but it will perform better in rich garden dirt. Also, for riots of blooms your neighbors will talk about, give this aster sun, sun and more sun.

A happy Tatarian aster will spread by way of underground rhizomes — sometimes to the point of overstepping its allotted space, so dividing it about every two to three years in the spring will help keep its wandering ways in check.