Ka-sā-ha-yein-tuk'wah (Aster)

Asters are known as ka-sā-ha-yein-tuk'wah to the Onondaga people, which translates to "it brings the frost". This time of year on the East Coast, Asters burst like little petaled fireworks along roadsides, shorelines, meadows, and gardens. 

Native American tribes have long used these flowers as medicine for ailments including sinus problems, digestion, fevers, and headaches. 

When we see New England Asters, we think of Robin Wall Kimmerer’s beautiful writing about these flowers and their frequent companion, Canada Goldenrod. In “Braiding Sweetgrass” she writes, "Where the soil is damp enough, (Canada Goldenrod) stand side by side with their perfect counterpart, New England Asters. Not the pale domesticates of the perennial border, the weak sauce of lavender or sky blue, but full-on royal purple that would make a violent shrink. The daisylike fringe of purple petals surrounds a disc as bright as the sun at high noon, a golden orange pool, just a tantalizing shade darker than the surrounding goldenrod.”

We look forward to welcoming you to our future Hakihakan – an open space full of o-yun'wa (Goldenrod, Onondaga language), ka-sā-ha-yein-tuk'wah (Asters), and thousands of other beautiful plant species. 

Keep reading to learn about other plants native to the Delmarva region like Pkuwiimakw (Munsee for Joe-Pye Weed) and Ústăstĭ (Cherokee for American Holly).

Source: Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, published by @milkweed_books

*Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical advice. Consult a doctor before using this plant for a medical purpose.*