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In late autumn, when the flowering period of many ornamental plants ends, the New England aster becomes a real decoration of garden lawns. Spreading high bushes with multi-colored flower heads do not require special care, so any gardener can grow them on his site.
General description of the New England aster
The New England American aster is an ornamental plant belonging to the Astrov family and the genus Symphiotrichum. The homeland of the aster is America, from where its second name “American” came from.
Straight and branching stems form sprawling bushes 40-180 cm high and 50-80 cm wide. Medium foliage, leaves lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate.
Small (3-4 cm) flower baskets of the American bush aster, as seen in the photo, form paniculate brushes of inflorescences. The reed petals of the flower can be blue, pink, purple or purple, and the tubular petals can be pronounced yellow or brown. In total, about 200 flowers are formed on the bush.
The flowering time in the middle zone of the country falls on the beginning and middle of autumn, and in the southern regions the aster blooms closer to November.
American aster is a herbaceous plant for open ground, characterized by good frost resistance. Some varieties of plants normally tolerate a decrease in air temperature to -5 ° C. Astra grows in one place for about 5 years. Used as an ornamental garden plant or as a cut flower to form bouquets and other arrangements.
New England aster can be a decoration of any garden
Varieties of the New England aster
There are about 20 varieties of American aster, photos and characteristics of the most common are presented below:
- Barr’s Blue (Bars Blue). Srednerosly plant up to 100-120 cm in height. Flower baskets are blue, the core is yellow. The flowering period lasts almost the entire autumn. For 1 sq. m planted 4-5 bushes.
The flowers of the New England variety Bars Blue are usually bright blue with a yellow center.
- Barr’s Pink (Bars Pink). A medium-sized plant, the height of which is about 100 cm, some specimens grow up to 150 cm. Flower baskets are pink and lilac, the core is brown with a yellow tint, the flower size is 4 cm. Bars Pink flowering time is the first 2 months of the autumn period.
New England variety Bars Pink grows up to 140 cm
- Purple Dome (Purple House). Low New England aster, as seen in the photo. Height – 40 cm. Small (3 cm) bright purple flower baskets form lush brushes of inflorescences. Flowering time lasts from the last decade of August to early October.
Purple baskets Purple House are collected in lush brushes of inflorescences
- Browmann (Browmann). Braumenn is another New England variety, the bushes reach 120 cm in height. The flowers are dark lilac or purple, the core is golden brown. Budding lasts all autumn until frost.
The flowering period of Braumann ends with the onset of frost
- Andenken an Alma Poetschke (Andenken an Alma Pechke). Medium-sized plant (about 1 m) with beautiful bright red flowers that have the same bright yellow core. The flowering time of the New England variety is the first 2 months of autumn.
Andeken en Alma Pechke blooms almost all autumn
- Constance. A characteristic feature of this variety of perennial New England aster is the presence of large (up to 8 cm) flower baskets with a yellow-brown middle and reed petals of a rich lilac color. Aster stems are high – from 120 to 140 cm. Constance successfully takes root both in sunny areas and in diffuse shade. Blooms in September-October. The minimum budding time is 30 days.
The minimum flowering time of Constance is 30 days
- Rudesburg (Rudesburg). One of the early New England varieties, the first flowers appear in August. Reaches 180 cm in height. The flowers are semi-double, the petals are bright pink with a red tint, the core is yellow-brown. Diameter – 4 cm. Blooms in early and mid-autumn.
Rudesburg flower diameter 5 cm
Features of reproduction
American bush aster propagates:
- Seeds. Two methods are known: seedless and seedling. At the first seed material is planted in open soil. And at the second – in the container.
- By dividing the bush. A similar method involves dividing an adult bush into small parts, each of which has 3-4 shoots and a viable root system. An adult bush can be dug out completely, then divided and transplanted to another area, or cut off with the tip of a shovel and dig out only the growing part. Aster is transplanted in this way in spring or autumn after the end of the flowering period.
- Cuttings. In this case, cuttings are cut – shoots 10-15 cm long with two buds. The resulting material is planted in a greenhouse before the formation of the root system. After the final rooting (after about 1,5 months), the strengthened shoots are transferred to open ground.
Seeds of New England varieties are usually sown in a container
Application in landscape design
The high decorativeness of the New England aster and the successful proximity to many plants make it possible to use it to decorate the backyard.
New England aster is a good solution for the formation of flower beds and rabatok. If you plant it along the fence, you get an impromptu hedge. Lush bushes with bright flowers look harmoniously next to shrubs and low trees. And cut flower arrangements will decorate any room.
New England aster can be a good way to decorate the territory
Planting and caring for the New England aster
Aster perennial New England is an unpretentious plant. However, for its growth and normal development, certain rules for planting and further care should be followed.
Deadlines
Optimal time to plant seed in open soil:
- deep autumn (mid-November);
- winter (all 3 months);
- spring – after warming up the topsoil, that is, from mid-April.
To obtain seedlings, seed material is planted in a container in March.
Site selection and preparation of soil
The New England aster is a photophilous plant, for this reason it is better to plant it in open areas, closed from drafts. Planting an aster in an area with insufficient lighting leads to stretching of the stems and a decrease in the diameter of the flowers. A site with a close location of groundwater is also not suitable.
The soil is better to choose loose fertile. If the land on the site is depleted, it will have to be fertilized regularly.
The site chosen for planting is dug up, weeds are removed and the soil is fed at the rate of 50-60 g of complex mineral fertilizers and one bucket of organic (burnt cow manure or compost) per 1 sq. m of land.
Landing algorithm
American aster seeds can be planted both in open soil and in a container.
For sowing in open ground:
- make shallow grooves (7-8 cm);
- seeds are planted and covered with a layer of earth of 5 mm;
- the beds are watered and covered with a film;
- after the formation of the 3rd true leaf, the seedlings dive;
- when the seedling grows up to 10 cm, it is transplanted to a permanent place, leaving a distance of 40-50 cm between the bushes.
To sow seed in a container:
- fill the container for seedlings with soil mixture;
- sow seeds, deepening them by 1 cm;
- evenly moisten the soil;
- cover the container with glass to create a greenhouse effect;
- aster seedlings dive after the formation of the 3rd leaf.
New England aster is planted in open ground approximately 65 days after the seed material enters the soil. This should be taken into account when calculating the date of sowing seeds for seedlings.
In the process of planting seedlings:
- make shallow holes, at the bottom of which drainage is placed (large pebbles can be used) and humus or mineral fertilizers;
- seedlings are placed in the center, covered with earth and lightly compacted with hands;
- wells with seedlings are watered, the soil is mulched with straw, last year’s leaves or sawdust.
After the formation of the 3rd leaf, a pick is made
Aftercare
Caring for the New England aster includes:
- Moderate watering. You need to moisten the soil as it dries. Excess moisture can cause root rot and subsequent death of the bush.
- Removing weeds as they appear.
- Loosening the soil (in the case of mulching the soil, there is no special need for loosening it).
- Sanitary pruning – removal of dry flowers and leaves.
For better flowering, the aster should be fed. After the appearance of the 4th leaf, complex fertilizers are used, and during flowering – potassium-phosphorus.
Closer to winter, aster branches are cut off, and the remaining parts of the plant are abundantly poured with water and covered with fallen leaves.
At the end of autumn, aster branches are cut off, and the remaining parts of the plant are watered, after which they are covered with fallen leaves.
New England aster requires moderate moisture.
Diseases and pests
The American aster is disease resistant. However, improper care can lead to the following problems:
- Dew Powdery. A manifestation of the disease is a white coating on the surface of the leaves. For the treatment of the disease, chemicals for flowering plants (Topaz, Fundazol) are used.
A sign of powdery mildew is a white coating on the leaves.
- Rust. This disease affects the lower part of the aster, causing the leaves to turn brown. In the process of rust treatment, the treatment of plants with Bordeaux mixture is practiced.
To get rid of rust, the plant is treated with a Bordeaux mixture.
- Jaundice. Characteristic signs are yellowing of the leaves and a decrease in the intensity of flowering. Insects become the spreaders of the disease, for this reason the only way to combat jaundice is to destroy pests with insecticides.
With jaundice, yellow leaves appear
- aphid – the main enemy of the New England aster. You can cope with it with the help of special preparations for the destruction of flower pests.
Due to the small size of pests, it is not always possible to detect immediately
Conclusion
New England aster is a flowering perennial plant that, with minimal care, will delight with its beauty until frost. Good frost resistance allows you to grow aster in almost all regions of the country.
