An Autumnal Purple Beauty

Asters will flower with gusto if they receive adequate amount of sunlight.

A New England aster seemingly cascades after some judicious pruning.

Bees and other pollinating insects love the plentiful asters' plentiful pollen.

'Audrey' is a dwarf New York aster. Its colour varies from light to dark purple from year to year.

All asters have the same daisy-like flowers with multiple ray petals in purple and a golden central disk.

Their simple looking flowers are quite intricate.

Many fall asters are quite tall and need staking.

​Common Name:     Aster, Michaelmas daisy
Botanical Name:     Symphyotrichum spp., formerly Aster 
Family:                    Asteraceae           
Form:                      upright, spreading depending on variety   Genus:                     Aster           
Species:                   numerous species           
Plant Type:               herbaceous perennial   
Mature Size:            10" - 6', up to 4 feet wide, 
Origin:                      Great Britain, Europe, N. & S. America     Hardiness Zone:      USDA zones 4 to 8
Leaves:                     entire, simple, alternate, soft, green,                                        pinnate, pointed tip, linear 
Flowers:                    composite, yellow stamens & blue,                                           purple, white, or pink petals, blooms                                         from September through fall
Exposure:                 sun to partial shade
Soil:                           well-drained, soil tolerant           
Propagation:            root cuttings, divisions, cuttings, seeds
Uses:                        butterflies, bees, cut flower, perennial,                                      mixed borders, native, woodlands
Problems:

• Tall asters tend to flop over so pinch back stems by a third in early June. This promotes bushier, shorter plants with more flowers.
• Prone to powdery mildew especially when planted in too much shade combined with dry soil.
• Will not flower if too shady.

Varieties & Cultivars:
There are 2 major types of aster: New England and New York. New York aster (Symphyotrichum novi-belgii) tend to be smaller than the New England types though some grow to 4 feet. They have thin, hairless stems compared to the New England variety (Symphyotrichum nova-angliae), which have sturdier, hairy stems and foliage.

The alpine aster, Symphyotrichum alpinus, has a mounded, upright habit about 1 foot high. Flowers are either pink, deep purple, white, violet and flower slightly earlier than other asters. Used in rock gardens, and for edging since it is short. Will self-seed as not a long-lived plant. Prefers a sandier soil than other asters.

​Comments:
Asters are often called Michaelmas Daisies because the flower at the same time St Michael’s Day is celebrated in England (September 29). There are many cultivars in lavender, violet, blues, and pinks. Since asters are either tall, short, erect, bushy, compact or spreading, correct selection is critical. Read those plant labels as they are wealth of information.

​New cultivars include ones that bear scented flowers and all asters attract bees, butterflies and other pollinators. They also make long lasting cut flowers. 

'Hazy Dark Pink' New York aster has raspberry pink fragrant flowers and only grows 12 inches tall.

Such pretty pink flowers of the Hazy Dark Pink aster.

A low growing aster becomes ground cover if left to its own devices.

Audrey aster and fall crocus (Colchicum) with a miniature yellow rose.