Description

China Aster Mix - Eye Candy & Pollinator Delight

Beautiful, single-layered blooms roughly 4” in diameter and accented with a striking bright yellow center, in shades of pink, purple, rose, magenta, and white.  This annual grows quickly, blooms profusely, and is only stopped by the first killing frost.  Magnificent fireworks-like profuse displays of blossoms catch and hold your eye while attracting an array of beneficial insects.  Butterflies and bumblebees cling to these colorful flowers as the blossom into the fall months of October and November in warmer areas.  These late-season blossoms are invaluable to hard-working pollinators as the weather cools down and most other flowers have long since wilted away. 

Details

China Aster is part of the Asteraceae family that includes the chrysanthemum and daisies, but unlike those it is an annual.  Plants grow to a mature height of 12 - 36” tall, with 4” single-layered blooms supported on long slender stems, making them perfect as cut flowers, in floral arrangements and bouquets.  Each blossom is accented with a beautiful, bright yellow center. 

History

As its name indicates, it originated in China, a tender annual blooming from late summer until the first frost.  It is a valuable part of the fall landscape, its showy blooms bringing new color into the fading summer garden, hinting of the crisp, cool days to come.  The late-season blossoms bring needed nectar to the multitude of butterflies and bees attracted to it.  Deadheading spent flowers brings a continuous display of color to delight human and insect visitors to your garden from late summer until the first frost. 

Uses

Attracting butterflies, all sorts of bees, and songbirds as seeds mature, China Asters are deer resistant and low maintenance, making them perfect for plantings along borders such as driveways, fences, walkways and flower beds to draw the eye.  For explosions of delightful flowers all summer long, succession sow once a month in masses.  Their tall stems and elegant, engaging flowers are excellent for cutting and flower arrangements.