New England Asters

woodnative

9 years ago

Love these at end of summer. I need to get some more colors.

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Comments (12)

bogturtle
9 years ago
So very beautiful. Don't deal with them for at several reasons. They need dividing to stay vigorous.
They grow tall, and I prefer ground hugging sorts, where possible.
The colors are not in accord with the Fall decor my wife loves.
They wander, but so do many perennials I grow.

Wild asters of some species grow sparsley, often pulled up, among my ground covers and I leave a few.
Will try 'October Skies' and 'Snow Flurry' again, while they may not belong to New England Asters.
karin_mt
9 years ago
Nice! Those are good colors together. I love the bright pink, but the white is gorgeous too, and it tempers the pink. It's extra nice to have lavish flowers this time of year!
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sherrygirl zone5 N il
9 years ago
Love the asters! I have only one blue one, forgot the name. I have had trouble with them survivng the winter here. The one I do have has been in my yard for almost ten years. Just afraid to invest in more since i have lost so many that are supposed to be hardy here.

Sherry
aftermidnight Zone7b B.C. Canada
9 years ago
Woodnative your asters are lovely, do you know the variety name of your white one? Michaelmas daisies have always been a favorite of mine and the nice thing about the New England asters is they DON'T run like some of the New York asters but stay in clumps. I lost my 'Alma Potschke' and 'Purple Dome', looking to replace those but still have 'Pink Winner', 'Harrington's Pink', 'Adrienne' ( she's a tall one, deep pink flowers which are a little larger than the others, bought her from The Horticultural Centre of the Pacific many years ago) and 'September Ruby'. Darn, it's too bad we have that border between us I could've send you some root cuttings of the ones I have and I could've begged a couple of yours. If anyone in Canada would like to trade cuttings please email me.

Annette
woodnative
Original Author
9 years ago
Annette that is a shame, I would love to trade! The dark is Alma Potschke' and the white there is 'Chilly Winds' from the former Seneca Hills Nursery. I have some unnamed normal purple and pinkish purple types around. The three you mention sound great. Sherry the ones common in the big box stores have not proved hardy for me but true New England ASters (Aster (or Symph...) novae-angliae) have done great!
sunnyborders
9 years ago
Lovely.

One of the very best fall blooming asters (and perennials) here.

One thing I can really identify with above is bogturtle's referring to the need to periodically divide New England asters.

I do need to divide ours every three years to have them continually look their best.

'Purple Dome' aside, I like the typical heights of New England asters and they do well at the back, or in the centre, of mixed perennial beds. True, our beds are thinned out by fall, but there are still some shorter perennial blooms and there's always the option of adding fall mums to the front/outside of the bed in the fall.

Below: September 22, 2104.
Purchased that mauve No Name New England aster over twenty years ago. Many divisions have spread it to many gardens. Think it's certainly worth the labour.
aftermidnight Zone7b B.C. Canada
9 years ago
SB, so pretty I think your No Name might be 'Barr's Pink'. It's been around since the 1920s. Regardless it's one pretty aster.

Annette
sunnyborders
9 years ago
Thanks, Annette.

One kind of info I really like!
Will follow it up.
green_go (Canada, Ontario, z 5a)
9 years ago
I found that New England asters are also so easy to propagate by cuttings. To keep my 'Alma Potschke' shorter and bushier, I cut it back in early July by half. By instead of throwing away the cut tops, I dipped them in rooting hormone and planted a bunch of them into a pot with the soil and put the pot under the cold frame in the shade. In 3 weeks I already saw the roots sticking from the drainage holes! I planted them in the soil - and now they are all covered in buds and blooms!
ogrose_tx
9 years ago
We have asters in Texas too! This is Fanny.
sunnyborders
9 years ago
Interesting info, green_go.

Nice, ogrose!
aftermidnight Zone7b B.C. Canada
9 years ago
Here's a closeup of 'Adrienne' this one can grow 6' but can be cut back to a shorter version. The individual flowers can exceed 2". I've never seen this one for sale anywhere, it may be one of the ones bred at the Horticultural Centre of the Pacific where I bought it many years ago. Doesn't seem to have a problem with mildew and the lower stems still have green leaves.
Annette