About Asters (Aster)

Member Name: mumsymary

Product:	Aster
Date:	09/01/08 (129 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Pretty and good for wildlife

Disadvantages: none

Aster this word means Star in Greek, to me the name means a flower of the Asteraceae family. This flowering plant is frequently called michealmas daisy.

I like to grow Asters in the back of my flower borders. Where they bloom in late summer early autumn. There are a large variety of Aster plants some growing as tall as 3 feet some more suited to the front of the border only growing 6 to 10 inches tall. Small asters are good in patio pots

The aster flower is a composite flower this means that what we see as the yellow centre of the flower is in fact lots of little flowers, what we see as petals are actually sepals. Other flowers with a similar flower us are dandelions or daisies. In fact the Aster flower looks very much like a daisy flower. Some asters are single flowers (one row of petals/sepals) other doubles (with 2 rows of petals /sepals)

Asters flowers are commonly blue or lilac purple coloured sometimes red or pink and sometimes yellow or white. There is a wide variety of hues in these colours.

You can buy Aster plants from the garden centre or you can grow your own from seeds.
Asters are a perennial plant flowering for several years. They like a well drained soil and a sunny position.

I like asters as a lot of them are attractive to wild life. The nectar luring butterflies, moths, bees and other insects. Some caterpillar feast on the leaves. The Aster Frikartii/ monch is one I note as being particularly good for butterflies. The purple flower flowers in the summer and grows quite tall Height: Height 36-48ins (90cm -1.2m).
Asters make as good cut flower for your sitting room vase.

Aster plants can be bought at many garden centers on or off line. Price varies according to size you should be able to buy a fair sized plant for £3-£5 pounds smaller ones at your garden centre cheaper.
Enjoy your gardening. Mary

Summary: A flowering plant .