Commonly known as Simmonds' aster, it is a colony-forming herbaceous perennial.

[4] Symphyotrichum simmondsii is a colony-forming herbaceous perennial that grows 10 centimeters (4 inches) to 120 cm (4 ft) tall from long rhizomes.

The flower centers, composed of disk florets, begin as yellow and become reddish as they mature.

[4] S. simmondsii has a base number of x = 8[5] and an octaploid chromosome count of 64.

[4] The species grows in moist or dry habitats at elevations of up to 50 meters (164 feet) and can be found in the southeastern United States, particularly in peninsular Florida.