There are more than a hundred variations of this type of flower. They can range in size from less than a foot tall to over two feet. Both the large and small varieties can make wonderful additions to your garden. They also make wonderful flowers to stick in a vase or to give people as a present. Among the more showy native species that is cultivated in North American gardens are the blue or violet New York aster (A. novi-belgii) and the purple New England aster (A. novae-angliae).
Unlike most common flowers of North American which bloom in spring, asters bloom in the fall, from August through September. This flower is grown all over the world except Antarctica and Australia. Asters can be found in any shade and color with exception of orange and clear yellow. Such colors of the flowers as purple, blue, white and violet are predominant. The fruits of asters are known as achenes.
Asters are just one of the beautiful fall flowers that turn a mediocre fall garden into a beautiful, colorful haven that is a reminder of late spring or early summer. The aster is a perennial and easy to grow, even a beginning gardener will find them delightful to grow. There are several varieties and you will have a difficult time choosing the ones you want to grow.
You will want to check with your garden center or nursery for the hardiest aster plants for your region. Before planting, remember these three things: space, sun, and moist soil. Try planting your asters in full sun if you want them to thrive; most varieties like soaking up the rays of the sun all during the day. Rich soil will help them flourish, so adding compost will help the soil and it will also act as mulch.
The end of summer is usually the time when asters have a speedy growth period. At this time you will need to give them water on a weekly basis so they will not dry out. You need to make sure there is enough room between plants so they can get ample air movement. Asters do not have many pests, but sometimes will be a victim to a powdery mildew if water is left on the leaves or if they go without for any length of time. This can happen if they are overcrowded.
Do not be surprised if that dense mound of purple flowers you bought last fall is an open plant this year. Asters that are nursery grown will usually be sprayed with a regulator that minimizes its growth so it will not outgrow your container. When you plant them in a flower garden they will be much more open the next year.
However, if you want to keep your aster plant compact, you do not have to use growth regulators, all you have to do is pinch back the tip of each stem. This forces branching out on the sides easier. You can start the end of spring and pinch every two weeks in order to get a bushier plant. By cutting back your asters will delay the flowers by maybe a week or so, but that just means they will be blooming longer in the season.
If you have a flower bed of only asters you can pinch the asters in the front section of the flower garden but not the ones in the back. The un-pinched aster in the back of the flower bed will get taller and bloom the earliest. When they have completed blooming, the asters that you pinched in the front of the flower bed will bloom and hide the stems of the early bloomers. By doing this gives you more asters blooming for a longer period of time.
The meaning of this September birth flower is faith, love, wisdom and symbolizes valor. The Monte Casino is a popular aster and that flower is often used to symbolize afterthought or true love. The aster signifies fidelity in China. The alternative name of the flower is starworts or the Michaelmas daisy. A few species are used for food, as salad plants normally. The China aster is the common aster of florists as well as flower gardens.
You will want to check with your garden center or nursery for the hardiest aster plants for your region. Before planting, remember these three things: space, sun, and moist soil. Try planting your asters in full sun if you want them to thrive; most varieties like soaking up the rays of the sun all during the day. Rich soil will help them flourish, so adding compost will help the soil and it will also act as mulch.
The end of summer is usually the time when asters have a speedy growth period. At this time you will need to give them water on a weekly basis so they will not dry out. You need to make sure there is enough room between plants so they can get ample air movement. Asters do not have many pests, but sometimes will be a victim to a powdery mildew if water is left on the leaves or if they go without for any length of time. This can happen if they are overcrowded.
Do not be surprised if that dense mound of purple flowers you bought last fall is an open plant this year. Asters that are nursery grown will usually be sprayed with a regulator that minimizes its growth so it will not outgrow your container. When you plant them in a flower garden they will be much more open the next year.
However, if you want to keep your aster plant compact, you do not have to use growth regulators, all you have to do is pinch back the tip of each stem. This forces branching out on the sides easier. You can start the end of spring and pinch every two weeks in order to get a bushier plant. By cutting back your asters will delay the flowers by maybe a week or so, but that just means they will be blooming longer in the season.
If you have a flower bed of only asters you can pinch the asters in the front section of the flower garden but not the ones in the back. The un-pinched aster in the back of the flower bed will get taller and bloom the earliest. When they have completed blooming, the asters that you pinched in the front of the flower bed will bloom and hide the stems of the early bloomers. By doing this gives you more asters blooming for a longer period of time.
The meaning of this September birth flower is faith, love, wisdom and symbolizes valor. The Monte Casino is a popular aster and that flower is often used to symbolize afterthought or true love. The aster signifies fidelity in China. The alternative name of the flower is starworts or the Michaelmas daisy. A few species are used for food, as salad plants normally. The China aster is the common aster of florists as well as flower gardens.
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