A large, stout, hairy, leafy plant bearing flower heads with bright lavender to purplish-blue rays clustered at branch ends.

Head 1-2" wide, on a stalk with glandular; sticky hairs; rays 35-45; disk flowers yellowish; bracts narrow, hairy, sticky.

1 1/2-5" long, lanceolate, toothless, clasping large stem.

Dry, seed-like, tipped with tawny bristles.

3-7'.

August-October.

Wet thickets, meadows, and swamps.

There are many color forms of this species, with rays ranging from lavender to purple to white. A pink form is sometimes grown commercially.