Aster bakeranus is an herbaceous perennial with one to several annual stems of up to about half a metre in height which develop from a perennial woody base. The fusiform roots occur in dense clusters. The leaves are sparse and coarsely hairy with minute teeth along the margins. They are variable in size and shape.The flower heads are usually blue or mauve, rarely white. A. bakeranus is distinguished from similar species by the presence of hairs on the bracts around the flower head.