Heather aster: description of varieties and cultivation, methods of reproduction with photos

Heath aster is difficult to meet in Russian gardens. In Russia, it is not very popular. But flower growers in the USA and Canada love this perennial for its unpretentiousness, frost resistance and decorative effect. In autumn, it decorates the garden with abundant flowering, filling it with a delicate aroma.

Flower Description

The heather aster is found naturally in North America. The variety combines perennial herbaceous plants that bloom from September to November. Bushes are formed from long (70-100 cm) branched shoots, bare or pubescent. The entire length of the stems are covered with leaves.In the upper part they are serrated, small (up to 1.5 cm long), alternate. Below, up to 6 cm long, pawled, rigid. Bushes look fluffy due to dense dark green foliage.

Heath aster is classified as frost-resistant (up to -35 °C) ground cover crops. Bushes are aggressive. They quickly grow in width, have the form of a ball. Control is needed to maintain the decorativeness of garden compositions.

Culture refers to a small-flowered species. The diameter of the inflorescences (baskets) does not exceed 1 cm. The shape of the wrapper is bell-shaped. Marginal petals pointed, lanceolate, arranged in 3 rows. Coloring white, blue, pink.

Middle yellow-brown or brown with a red undertone. At the peak of flowering (September-October), dense pyramidal (oval-pyramidal) bushes are covered with a continuous carpet of small flowers. The seeds are medium-sized, flat, due to late flowering they do not have time to ripen.

Aster teriflorus varieties

The advantages of the perennial variety of asters include abundant flowering, which can last up to 2 months. The shape of the bushes in many varieties of heather aster is creeping. This quality is used by landscape designers. Include the crop in compositions that require ground cover, creepers.

Pink Cloud (Pink Cloud)

Globular bushes during flowering (September to November) strewn with pale pink small baskets. Aster heather Pink cloud retains its decorative effect until frost.

Snow flurry

The title is true. During flowering, low bushes (10 cm) Snow flurry are covered with many white flowers and resemble a snow blanket. Gardeners plant the Snow Avalanche on rocky hills. In summer, it forms a dense carpet of dark green color, blooms closer to autumn.

Herbstmyrthe

Hybrid form with shoots up to 1 m long. Inflorescences are white-lilac, small, 10 mm in diameter. The center of the flowers is yellow with a burgundy undertone. Herbstmyrthe starts to bloom in September. Ends in 1.5 months.

Erlkonig

The middle is bright yellow, the marginal petals are pale purple. Ground cover bushes with branched shoots up to 1 m long. Erlkonig blooms for 2 months from early September to November.

Blue star

A creeping variety of heather aster. The height of the bush is average - 70 cm. During flowering, Blue star resembles heather and undersized conifers due to small needle-like foliage. Flowering continues from August until the first frost. The flowers are pale blue.

Lady in Black

This variety is distinguished by unusual leaf color. It is dark green and dark purple in places. The flowers are small, white with a pink-brown center. Lady in Black is used in group plantings as an ornamental ground cover crop.

Golden Spray

Bushes are dense, pyramidal in shape. The middle is bright yellow, contrasting with the white marginal petals. The flowers are small.

Growing

All varieties of heather aster love the sun or light partial shade. All soils are suitable for them, with the exception of clay and marshy soils.

From seeds

Heath aster, grown from seeds, begin to bloom in the second year of life. Sow them in spring or before winter. Peat and humus are added to the soil. Aster seeds are sown in grooves to a depth of 1 cm. The ridge is mulched with humus or compost.

In the spring, heather aster shoots appear by the end of the second week. The grown seedlings thin out (dive), leaving a distance of 15 cm between them. Asters are transplanted in the fall.

Seedlings

Heather aster seeds are sown for seedlings in March. They are first germinated in a damp cloth. Planted in a common container (container, box). Seeds are deepened by 0.5 cm. The container is covered with a film, kept warm (20 ° C).

After the sprouts of heather aster appear, the film is removed, the box is transferred to a bright place. During the period of seedling growth, the air temperature is maintained at +18 ° C during the day, at +15 ° C at night. Heather aster seedlings dive in the 3rd leaf phase.

Standard care:

watering;
creating an optimal microclimate;
fertilizing with complex fertilizers.

Landing

Heather aster seedlings are considered ready for transplanting to a new place when 6 leaves are formed on it, and the height reaches 7 cm. They harden off another 2 weeks, then it will quickly adapt to open ground conditions.

Choosing a seat

In the shadow culture often gets sick. Due to a weakened immune system, it is often attacked by insects. Heather aster pleases with abundant flowering, planted in a sunny place. Calendula is considered a good precursor to perennials.

Flower growers do not recommend planting an aster after tulips and gladiolus. Gardeners note that plants planted in the southern part of the garden bloom earlier and bloom more abundantly.

Soil preparation

Heath aster grows best on loam fertilized before planting. Organic matter (humus) is added to the soil. Do not forget about the standard set of fertilizers:

superphosphate;
potassium s alt;
urea (spring only).

Acidity is reduced with dolomite flour. Increased humidity is regulated by a layer of rubble or other drainage.

Planting rules

Seedlings are planted in open ground in May. Maintain an interval of 15-25 cm, and between two rows of at least 0.5 m. After planting, the wells are watered and mulched with humus. During the first week, heather aster is not watered.

Heath aster seedlings planted on a cloudy day take root faster. If the days are sunny, the flower bed is covered with agrospan, cardboard or other improvised material that does not let in sunlight. Shelter is removed on the 3rd-5th day.

How to care for aster heather

Heath aster needs minimal care. With the right choice of location and filling the soil, the perennial blooms profusely for 5 years, subject to the following rules:

watering when the topsoil dries up;
shallow loosening;
weed removal;
pruning faded inflorescences.

Method of propagation and collection of seeds

Heath aster is propagated vegetatively and by seeds. It is difficult to get your seed material. For their maturation, at least 50 days must pass from the time of flowering. In a temperate climate in open ground conditions, this is unrealistic.

Seeds

Get your aster seeds in two ways. One option is easy to implement, but does not guarantee germination, the second is more labor-intensive, but it allows you to get high-quality seed material:

Cut inflorescences before the first frost. Put on the windowsill. Wait for the seeds to ripen.
Dig up the bush. Plant it in a pot or bucket. Bring to a room where the temperature does not rise above +20 °C. Provide the plant with proper care and lighting. Harvest mature seeds.

Shanks

The method allows you to save varietal features. You can cut asters all summer. For rooting in the garden, prepare a small ridge, fill it with earth, peat, sand (2: 1: 1). Algorithm for propagation of asters by cuttings:

Cut a 7 cm length from the top of the shoot.
Plant in a greenhouse, deepening 3-4 cm.
Water.
Cover the bed with foil.
After a month, the seedlings can be transplanted.

Dividing the bush

This method propagates aster bushes at the age of 3-4 years. They just need to be transplanted to a new place. The division of the bush is carried out in autumn:

the bush is undermined from all sides, taken out;
rhizome is divided into parts with pruners;
divisions are planted in prepared holes, watered.

Before the frost, the bushes cover. For this, agrospan, lutrasil or organic covering materials (spruce branches, straw, leaves) are used.

Diseases and pests

Perennial rarely gets sick. The disease can be caused by poor care or weather disasters. Heather aster ornamental can be affected by insects:

nematode;
spider mites.

The leaves affected by the nematode are cut off and destroyed. Asters are saved from spider mites by infusion of onion peel or insecticide treatment.

Heath aster, growing in the shade and not receiving proper care, is prone to fungal infections:

powdery mildew;
gray rot;
ringspot.

Sick plants are treated with copper sulphate (gray rot), "Fundazol" (spotting).

Application in landscape design

Heath aster is valued as a ground cover crop. It is used in rock gardens, park areas in combination with conifers. Undersized varieties are planted next to Iberis, cloves. Tall varieties pair well with rudbeckia and ornamental yarrow.

Single plantings of heather aster look dignified and beautiful. Designers give lush bushes the correct geometric shape (ball, cone). An ornamental perennial planted in the garden, it decorates it for many years without requiring much care.