Not just the typical Michaelmas Daisy, we offer others with more interest. Many of the less common species are more or less mildew free and a better, moister soil will help with all species. A very varied family now reflected better by some recent name changes - if you can't find what you are looking for under Aster, try the new genus names also found on this page.
The Aster family is a huge group of plants, from most of the northern hemisphere, made up, basically, of what was left after the botanists had divided the obvious groups of daisies out of the family formerly known as Compositae, now known as Asteraceae. As a result some of the species bear little relation to each other and the new name changes make sense on a botanical level, just a pity some of the new names will be so hard to spell and pronounce compared to Aster!
As a whole, the Asters are summer and autumn flowering perennials, mostly with good upright stems that produce interesting fluffy seedheads later in the year, very useful for naturalistic gardening. Most of them like an ordinary soil, not too wet or dry, in sun or a little shade but there are a few that prefer at least some shade.
Most can be given a Chelsea-chop if required, cutting back the new growth in spring from c. 30cm to c. 15cm, to encourage side branhes and a denser, lower growing clump. It doesn't work with all of them, so ask or experiment before chopping the whole plant off!
Clouds of small white flowers completely cover the bushy plants in autumn. Good cut flower too. Drained soil in full sun. 1m or can be Chelsea-chopped to give 60cm.
Pretty silvery blue flowers of a decent size on strong stems to 1.5m. A good, earlier flowering species, August into late autumn, well worth trying in good soil in sun.
