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Features
Narrow, mid green foliage appears from spring, followed by richly violet coloured flowers.
What to use it for
Useful in containers, borders and as a cut flower.
Good for a wildlife garden as it attracts butterflies. It is also relatively ‘rabbit resistant’.
How to look after it
Support may be required to prevent the stems flopping over. Ring-style supports or wide netting stretched horizontally on canes would be ideal – place them as growth starts in the spring so the stems can grow up through them.
To keep the plant vigorous it should be divided, at least every 3 years.
How to prune it
Cut it down to ground level in late autumn after flowering.
How to propagate it
By division in spring (this is also healthy for the plant). Cuttings can be taken in spring – basal shoots work best, but other stem parts can also be used. Root the cuttings in a propagator to keep them warm before potting on and hardening off in a cold frame.
Common problems
Prone to powdery mildew.
Other useful information
The name ‘Aster’ derives from the Latin for ’star’.
One legend explaining why it received this name (other than because of the star like shape of the flowers) is that the plant arose when the Greek goddess of justice, innocence and purity, Astraea, looked at the earth and cried because she couldn’t see any stars. The aster flower then grew out of the soil where her tears fell.
