From one highly variable species called aster has come a whole range of China asters -- singles, semi-doubles, and doubles as well as tall, medium, and dwarf -- all in a wide range of colors that includes white, pink, yellow, blue, and red.
 Asters, also known as China asters, are pink to fuchsia annual flowers, as well as blue to purple annual flowers and white to green annual flowers. See more pictures of annual flowers. |
Growing China aster: China asters grow best in full sun in rich soil. Two disease problems have plagued them in the past: aster yellows, carried by leafhoppers, and fusarium wilt, a soil-borne disease. Select disease-resistant varieties when you buy seeds or plants. Spray to control insects. Don't plant them in the same ground two years in a row. Sow seeds indoors 6 to 7 weeks before planting outside. They germinate in 10 to 20 days at 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Otherwise, sow them into the ground outside after the last frost. Each variety blooms only 3 to 4 weeks, so for a continuous show, successive plantings must be two weeks apart.
Propagating China aster: By seed.
Uses for China aster: Use China asters in beds and borders. Alternate a space and a plant, then fill the spaces with young plants that bloom later. Tall varieties make superb cut flowers.
China aster related varieties: Pinocchio is a dwarf strain of mixed colors with a garden mum flower form and garden habit. Perfection Mixed plants grow to 2 feet with 4-inch fully double flowers. Super Giants Mixture grows to 21/2 feet with 5-inch double spidery flowers. The Matsumo series is wilt resistant. Violet Striped is the best of the series.
Scientific name of China aster: Callistephus chinensis
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