New England Aster

Brand: American Beauties Native Plants® Color: Purple shades Features Blooms August-September Attracts butterflies and supports bees Sun-loving native! Self-seeder Commonly found in prairies Details: The New England Aster’s profuse bloom of beautiful, purple, daisy-like flowers with a stout, leafy habit will provide both color and contrast to garden during fall. Vibrant color persists from late summer into the fall. These beauties will attract butterflies and make excellent cut flowers. They grow best in moist areas with plenty of sunlight. Plant in groups or use for massing, easy to grow and rewarding, it is a great late season nectar source for pollinators and vital to the life cycle of numerous native butterflies and moths. Easy to grow in average, medium, well-drained soil in full sun, prefers moist, rich soils. It needs good air circulation to help reduce incidence of foliar diseases. Pinching back stems several times before mid-July perhaps obviate the need for staking, as well as help control plant height, and promote bushiness. Plants may be cut to the ground after flowering to prevent any unwanted self-seeding and/or if foliage has become unsightly. Interesting Fact: In recent tradition, these flowers are the September birth flowers and are the flower of a couple’s 20th wedding anniversary. They are also known as the frost flower due to their late blooming and cold tolerance.