Wildlife magnet - attracts lots of butterflies, bees, other pollinating insects, and birds. Short-lived perennial, but will reseed and move around the garden. May need to be staked in moist, high-nutrient soil.
Can be pruned a few times a year, and even hedged. Prolific reseeder. A study in KC showed that Symphyotrichum is one of the plant genera in our area that attracts the largest number of different bee species.