Purple Blue Flowers: Prairie Asters

These blue-purple prairie wildflowers were blooming in late August in a park north of Regina. The plant has a reddish stem, with narrow pointed leaves, and those I saw grew to about 18 inches high.

I'm not sure which kind these are; for me, all composites of every colour, are tricky to identify. Perhaps these are Smooth Asters, which are common  in moist prairie areas.  

Picture showing the whole plant,
stems, leaves and flowers. 

Close-up of flowers. 

Prairie Wildflower:  Asters   
Where: Condie Nature Refuge, Regina, Saskatchewan. 

Photo Date:  Both taken August 27, 2011.  

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