These are useful for providing late summer colour in herbaceous borders and mixed borders. Large blocks of asters can create a formal or modern look. When used in mixed plantings, asters can extend the season of cottage garden style planting. Low-growing types, such as Symphyotrichum ericoides var. prostratum 'Snow Flurry', are ideal for the front of borders. Tall asters, like many of the cultivars of Symphyotrichum novae-angliae (New England asters), can have bare lower stems by the end of summer; when planted at the back of a border these are hidden.
Callistephus chinensis (China aster) is a popular type of annual aster usually grown from seed or bought with bedding plants in early summer. They vary in height from 20-70cm (8- 28in). The chrysanthemum-like flowers can be single, semi double or double and are available in shades of purple, pink, white, red and yellow. Flowering in summer and into autumn, these annuals provide colour when some other summer annuals have started to fade.
Many asters are native to North American prairies, making them suitable for low maintenance, informal, naturalistic plantings. Asters that do not require staking, have attractive fluffy seedheads, and remain upright throughout winter are ideal.
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