Kickin' Purple stays under two feet and holds a tight cushion shape, which puts a New England aster in a spot where the species would be too big and too floppy. Symphyotrichum novae-angliae Kickin' Purple grows 23 to 25 inches tall and wide in full sun to part sun, hardy from Zone 5 through Zone 9, and blooms the first season after planting.
Violet-blue daisies with yellow centers open in late summer and keep going into fall, covering the foliage completely at peak. Bees come to the flowers steadily through the bloom, and the timing overlaps the monarch migration.
The habit is naturally dense and rounded, so it does not need staking or the June cutback that keeps taller asters upright. It holds its shape through the season rather than opening up at the center.
New England asters want moist soil and take wet ground better than most perennials. Full sun gives the heaviest bloom and helps keep the lower foliage clean. Good air circulation matters, so give it room rather than crowding it against other plants.