Summer aster
Late flowering autumn splendour
Summer aster flowers profusely and comes in a variety of colours. With its yellow centre, it resembles a caramel. This late flowering plant adds colour to the garden well into the autumn.
Aster, garden aster and autumn aster
The summer aster is also known as the garden aster. The plant is an annual but can self-sow and then return year after year. Autumn aster is a perennial instead. It also flowers beautifully in autumn, albeit with slightly less eye-catching flowers. Botanically speaking, autumn aster no longer belongs to the aster family.
It is easy to plant autumn aster in several places in the garden, as it is available in varieties between 20-80 cm. The tall varieties fill out the border nicely and make wonderful cut flowers. The lower varieties look great in outdoor pots, window boxes and as a border plant.
The classic aster colour is blue, but the flowers are now available in a wide range of colours – from white and yellow to more vibrant shades of purple, pink and red.
Sister goldenrod and sister aster
The name aster comes from the Greek word for star. It refers to the flower’s star-like splash of petals. Originally from China and Korea, aster was traditionally used to treat everything from hangovers and respiratory problems to indigestion.
As the flower spread across the world, it appeared in various legends. A Greek myth, for example, tells how the aster, with all its colours, was born from the tears of the goddess Astraea. From the Cherokees comes the legend of how a herbalist woman saved two sisters from being killed in war by sprinkling a magic potion over them. The sister dressed in yellow turned into a goldenrod and the sister dressed in blue became an aster.
Propagating summer asters
Summer aster is propagated to allow it to develop and flower as early as possible. Sow them indoors in March-April. The seeds germinate well at room temperature. Cover them with about 0.5 cm of soil and keep the sowing surface moist. Once the aster has emerged, they thrive best in a bright and cool place.
Summer asters can also be sown directly on the growing site in autumn. Make sure the soil is free of weeds before sowing. This will give the seedlings a really good start when they germinate in spring.
Planting in a bed or pot
Summer asters are just as lovely to grow outdoors as in pots. It is particularly attractive to plant several aster plants together in a group or to plant them together with decorative foliage plants.
Aster thrives best in nutrient-rich topsoil. It works well in a sunny to semi-shady position.
Aster flowers well into autumn
Aster is generally a problem-free plant. Feed it regularly and water during droughts, and it will grow well and flower abundantly.
Aster flowers from July. If you remove wilted flowers, more buds will form over time. Summer asters can flower well into autumn. It is so grateful to have those flowers that keep the garden going, when the summer flowers have already packed up for the season.
Durable as a cut flower and everlasting
Aster is magnificent in bouquets and durable in vases. Pluck the leaves off the sturdy stems, otherwise the water will become sticky after a few days. Aster can also be dried into an everlasting. Hang the bouquet upside down until it is dry. That’s when the colours will keep best.
Author: Johanna Damm
Fact-checked by Erik Hoekstra
Last updated 2022-10-14