Symphyotrichum laeve (Smooth Blue Aster)

Order Asterales, Family Asteraceae, Genus Symphyotrichum

This beautiful blue Aster blooms in late summer. These photos were taken at the edge of the lodgepole forest, where the meadow begins, tucked under a juniper.Every year I look for them, but only saw them once. At this time, there is only one very high altitude Aster, Aster alpinus, in North America, all the others being Eurasian plants.