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"Aster (syn. Diplopappus Cass.) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. The genus once contained nearly 600 species in Eurasia and North America, but after morphologic and molecular research on the genus during the 1990s, it was decided that the North American species are better treated in a series of other genera. After this split there are roughly 180 species within the genus, all but one being confined to Eurasia.[1] The name Aster comes from the Ancient Greek word astron, meaning "star", arriving through the Latin word astrum with the same meaning, referring to the shape of the flower head. Many species and a variety of hybrids and varieties are popular as garden plants because of their attractive and colourful flowers. Aster species are used as food plants by the larvae of a number of Lepidoptera species - see list of Lepidoptera that feed on Aster. Asters can grow in all hardiness zones. The genus Aster is now generally restricted to the Old World species, with Aster amellus being the type species of the genus, as well as of the family Asteraceae. The New World species have now been reclassified in the genera Almutaster, Canadanthus, Doellingeria, Eucephalus, Eurybia, Ionactis, Oligoneuron, Oreostemma, Sericocarpus and Symphyotrichum, though all are treated within the tribe Astereae. Regardless of the taxonomic change, all are still widely referred to as "asters" in the horticultural trades. See the List of Aster synonyms for more information. In the UK there are only two native members of the genus of which one, Goldilocks is very rare, the other being the Sea aster, Aster tripolium Some common species are:
Some common North American species that have now been moved are:
The China aster is in a related genus, Callistephus." - wikipedia | PLANTING ASTERS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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When your garden colors begin to fade in the fall, and you just aren't ready for plain ol' green, plant an Aster! Asters are great for late summer and fall bloom. The most popular variety is the New England Aster (Aster novae-angliae). It's bright 1 1/2 inch flowers bloom prolifically from August through October atop a two to four foot plant. You will often see native Aster varieties growing wild in almost any environment from the tropics to the coldest regions of the north, in habitats ranging from extremely arid deserts to bogs.
The Aster produce large clusters of delicate daisy-like flowers in white, purple, lavender, pink or red. They are hardy in USDA zones 4 through 9, depending on the variety. Asters should be planted in moist well-drained soil in full sun, but they will tolerate light shading. The plants form broad bushy clumps, so plant them at least 18 inches apart. Mature clumps will need to be divided every 3 - 4 years in the early spring, or late fall after the flowering has finished. Pinch back the tops by 6-8 inches at least once during the summer, to create a bushier plant and to prolong the fall bloom. This pinching MUST be done prior to mid July, or it will have an opposite effect, and blooming will be reduced. Asters may be propagated by dividing or grown from seed sown indoors at about 70 degrees F. or may be sown directly into the garden after all frost danger has passed. Germination takes anywhere from 15 to 30 days, depending on the temperature. Annual varieties of Asters require the same basic care, but should not be planted in the same spot the following year, to prevent plant diseases such as Aster wilt. Sow seeds directly into the garden in early spring, when all frost danger has passed. Barely cover the seeds with 1/8 inch of fine soil. Thin the young plants to 12 to 15 inches apart when they are three inches tall. Successive plantings will ensure a longer blooming season. Promptly remove any spent flowers to help ensure blooming throughout the summer. - wikipedia | MORE GARDENING TIPS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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" Most garden asters are cultivated varieties of the fall-blooming wildflower, Aster novi-belgii, or Michaelmas daisy. They are native to the United States and can be seen blooming along roadsides during the fall. From the wild types, Danish breeders have selected for new colors and compact shape. As a floriculture crop, they can be grown for cut flowers, an indoor pot crop in four-inch or 6-inch pots, or an outdoor perennial in 6-inch pots or larger. This leaflet covers the commercial production requirements for perennial garden asters. Keys to Success with Garden Asters (these items will be highlighted in a summary box)
Schedule Garden asters flower under short days similar to mums and they can be grown on a schedule similar to garden mums. Grown under natural days, they flower 1 to 2 weeks earlier than garden mums. The earliest cultivars are ready to sell in mid- to late-August. Later varieties flower throughout September. They can be grown any time of the year by manipulating photoperiod. In general, asters are kept vegetative using long days (>14-16 hours of daylight) until size is achieved, then forced into flower with short days (Schwabe, 1985). Very short days will induce dormancy. Therefore, if growers are going to use shadecloth to induce earlier flowering, daylengths <10 hours should be avoided to prevent dormancy and the resulting bud abortion. Flowering can be delayed with a combination of high temperatures, averaging over 68 oF, and high light. The flowering of an outdoor crop can be influenced by summer temperatures. Asters can be planted at the same schedule, size of pot, and medium as used for garden mums. They can also be planted up to 2 weeks later than a garden mum crop grown under similar conditions, because they produce an abundance of growth just prior to flowering. Rooted cuttings planted at the beginning of June may require a 1-1/2 gal container; mid-June an 8-inch container; July a 6-inch container for "fast-cropping". These later plants will require less pinching and perhaps more cuttings per pot. Experiments by Eddy and Hammer (1998) produced acceptable sized plants with one rooted cutting per 8-inch pot when planted on June 9. Pinching Pinch 7 to 14 days after potting rooted cuttings, removing all but 3 to 5 internodes. Pinch every 14 to 18 days until July 25, again leaving 3 to 5 internodes on each branch which has emerged since the previous pinch. Shears can be used. For a crop planted around June 9, 3 pinches are required. Plant Growth Regulators A plant growth regulator should be applied after the final pinch, when 1-1/2 to 2 inches of new growth has occurred. This will reduce plant height, intensify the dark green color of the foliage, and most importantly create rounder, more uniform plants. Foliar sprays of either B-Nine (two applications at 5000 ppm, applied one week apart) or Sumagic (a single application at 80 ppm) produced rounder, more uniform plants (Eddy and Hammer, 1998). Other recommendations include B-Nine at 1500 to 2000 ppm applied as needed (Luczai, 1992) or two applications of B-Nine at 2500 ppm (McAvoy, 1993). Fertilization and Irrigation Maintain the root medium pH between 5.8 to 6.5 for a soilless medium. Use a complete N-P-K fertilizer providing 200 ppm N and K via irrigation water. A rate of 150 ppm N and K may be sufficient for a soil-based medium. Asters are less salt-tolerant than mums. Excessive fertilization causes the plants to grow large and tilt in the pots. Growers need to manage their fertility program to avoid excessive EC build-up or monthly leaching of salts should be practiced. Low fertilization results in small plants. Fertilization outdoors may need to be supplemented with a higher rate or a slow release fertilizer like Nitroform (38-0-0) if excessive leaching occurs due to heavy rains. Though asters are more drought tolerant than garden mums, drought stress can cause yellowing of the lower leaves. Fertilization should be terminated when the flowers begin to open to improve flowering longevity. Foliar analysis values for garden aster are provided in Table 1.
Spacing Use the same spacing as for garden mums -- 18-inch centers for a 6-inch to 8-inch pot. Insects Asters have few insect pests. If needed, follow the same insecticide regime as for garden mums. Bees are attracted to aster flowers. Market the plants when one-quarter of the blossoms are open to prevent problems with attracting bees. Diseases Rust and powdery mildew are the two major foliar diseases of garden asters. Other possible foliar diseases are downy mildew, Alternaria spp. Cercospora asterata, and Septoria spp. Cultural practices to control foliar disease include avoiding wet foliage during irrigations and select a production site that provides adequate air circulation. Fungicides registered for Rust include: Dithane M-45WP, Bayleton or Strike 25DF, and Triforine 18EC; and for Powdery Mildew are: Karathane 19.5WP, Zyban 75WP, Bayleton or Strike 25DF, and Triforine 18EC. Read the label for use recommendations when applying these chemicals for disease control of asters. Potential root/stem diseases include Pythium, Phytopthera, Fusarium, Rhizoctonia, and Verticillium. Future Considerations Garden asters are extremely hardy. Given this fact, future follow-up sales may be limited. In addition, once established in the yard, garden asters are aggressive growers and some cultivars like Blue Butterfly may require up to 6 ft2 of space. Varieties Make a majority of your order blue, red, and purple. The top selling varieties for Yoder are: Patricia Ballard, Frida Ballard, Professor Kippenberg #2, Celeste, and Winston Churchill. Table 2 contains additional growth information about the top 5 varieties.
Marketing Garden asters provide another flowering crop to boost your fall sales. Along with garden mums, ornamental cabbage and kale, pansies, and other cool season annuals, garden asters can complete your product line. Though they can be grown on a schedule similar to garden mums, they are a new crop and should have their special features promoted.
Recommendations Make room for 100-200 garden asters for the fall. Often there are minimum order requirements, so consider pooling your order with another grower. Make a majority of your order blue, red, and purple. Pot them up 2 weeks after your mums and grow them on the same schedule. Purchase large, colorful care tags and a promotional kit if you retail. Plant some display beds containing garden asters and garden mums to promote asters and let consumers know what landscape design possibilities can be done with them. For Further Reading
- wikipedia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| CLASSES OF ASTERS | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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"Dwarf Asters: are usually used in pots, containers or at the front of gardens as edging. These are usually 8-12 inches tall.
Spider aster flowers have petals that are quite thin, come in a range of colors and tend to grow 18-14 inches tall. Powderpuffs – are an old fashioned type that look like, well a powderpuff – ball of petals. The old fashioned ones are quite tall – in the 36 inch range. Single Flowering are daisy type blooms and tend to be taller varieties. I particularly like these. Semi-Double The name says it all – the flowers have more than a single row of petals but not a full double. Double The petals on these are a full double flower and resemble pom-poms in the garden" - wikipedia | MEANING AND SYMBOLISM | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| With their wildflower beauty and lush texture, asters have long been considered an enchanted flower. In ancient times, it was thought that the perfume from their burning leaves could drive away evil serpents. Today, they’re known as a talisman of love and a symbol of patience. Also known as starworts, Michaelmas daisies or Frost flowers, the name aster is derived from the Greek word for “star,” and its star-like flowers can be found in a rainbow of colors – white, red, pink, purple, lavender and blue, with mostly yellow centers. The September birth flower, asters also hold the honor of being the 20th wedding anniversary flower. | FANLISTINGS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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A fanlisting is simply an online listing of fans of a subject, that is created by an individual fan and open for fans from around the world to join. This has been approved byThefanlistings.org, a fanlisting network with over thousands of fanlistings around the world. | CREDIT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Information and images for this site were taken primarily from Getty Images and wikipedia.org. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||