Every year at the end of summer, flower beds are painted in different colors of the rainbow. This is full of asters, involuntarily transferring everyone to the memories of the school time. By that time, most plants are already fading, and beautiful, unpretentious "stars" delight the eye and decorate the garden.
Photos of flowers of asters only prove a huge number of colors and unusual shapes. Gardeners call this cute flower callistefus. If you decide to get these attractive terry beauties in your flowerbed, summer cottage or flower garden, then get acquainted with the main types, varieties and features of growing asters flowers from seeds.
A little bit about the history of the flower
Astra refers to annual and perennial herbaceous plants of the Astrov family, or Compositae. Sources indicate 200 to 500 species of these flowers. Most of them are common in North and Central America. French monks from China (XVII century) secretly brought a flower to Europe. From Latin, “aster” is translated as “star”.
There is an old legend, which refers to two monks who tried to get to the stars. For this, they climbed the highest mountain of Altai, but the stars remained inaccessible and distant. Frustrated travelers had to return to the foot of the mountain. Here they came across a wonderful meadow, strewn with beautiful flowers, like stars. The monks were very happy and decided to bring some flowers to their monastery. They dug them up and planted them. The flowers named it with a stellar name - asters. Since then, the Chinese have associated this plant with beauty, elegance, charm and modesty. Asters are most suitable for Virgo and are a symbol of the dream of the unknown, a talisman and a guiding star.
Key characteristics of aster
Incredible attractiveness, long flowering, large color palette attract aster flowers. Photos confirm their splendor. This flower demonstrates all its charm in autumn. If you do not know what color the aster flower is, then just be surprised at the huge number of colors. Flowering of this plant can be enjoyed from August to November. Here are the main features of callistefus:
- Compositae dicotyledonous plant;
- many perennial and annual species;
- the presence of thick foliage;
- stem height from 20 cm to 2 m;
- simple, double and semi-double flowers;
- found in nature in forest, steppe and mountainous areas;
- color palette from white to dark purple.
Asters have a developed root system. The leaves are simple, town-like with large teeth and a wide oval shape. The stems can have a straight-sitting and sessile shape. Inflorescences are presented in the form of a basket, collected in panicles or shields. The core is most often yellow. Propagated by seed. These colors adorn borders, group plantings, rabatki, rockeries, balconies, terraces.
Description of annual varieties
Depending on the shape of the petals, annual asters are divided into three classes:
- Tubular. These flowers have petals in the form of tubes. Among them there are cirrus varieties. They also include the Lilliput variety, which can be grown not only in the garden, but also in pots.
- Transitional. This class has reed and tubular flowers. These include simple, crowned and semi-double asters. Simple asters have a flat basket in the middle, consisting of thin yellow tubes. Frames the middle of several rows of straight reed petals. Semi-double flowers have more volume. Their reed petals stick up and to the sides. Crowned asters are similar to magnificent pompons. Their core cannot be considered.
- Reed. The yellow tubes in the middle of these flowers are not visible at all because of their splendor. Spherical and shaggy varieties are found. Curly asters with curly ends look elegant. This class includes radiation callistefuses with narrow petals that curl but do not grow together. This also includes needle asters with twisted long petals.
In many sources, the following species of this plant are found: simple, spherical, pompom, needle, chrysanthemum, pink, radiant. Early varieties bloom in July, medium varieties in early August, late varieties in late August. Dwarf varieties, low-, medium-, tall, giant asters are distinguished depending on the height of the bush. Many varieties have been developed for decorating flower beds, and there are also species for cutting into bouquets.
Different varieties and shapes of inflorescences
The best varieties of flowers of asters (simple) with small inflorescences are considered Waldersee, Edelweiss, Pinocchio. With medium inflorescences - the Salome variety. Large flowers differ Margarita and Madeleine.
Of the crown varieties with small flowers, it is worth highlighting Tikuma, Ariake, with large and medium - Aurora, Princess. Large inflorescences near Fantasy, Erfordia.
Among the semi-double varieties, Victoria, Mignon, Rosette stand out. Curly asters are represented by the colors Comet, Queen of the market, California gigantic. By spherical callistefus enrolled Milady, American Beauty, Germany.
Very beautiful needle varieties: Exotica, Record, Compliment, Anniversary. Hemispherical inflorescences have Amor, Miss.
Reproduction of annual callistefus seeds
Aster flowers are grown by seedlings or seedlings. Seedling is considered the best way. How to grow seedlings? Seeds in containers or grooves of the greenhouse are sown in the last days of March. The seeded material is watered with a light pink solution of potassium permanganate and covered with a film or wet paper. Before sowing, seeds and soil are treated with fungicide to prevent the disease of the black leg.
After 3-5 days, the first shoots appear. During this period, film or paper is removed from the containers and the seedlings are placed in a bright place. With the advent of the first leaf, seedlings dive at a distance of 5 cm from each other or leave one in a cell. The optimum temperature for seedlings is considered to be +15 ° . At the end of April, the seedlings are fed with a solution of nitrophoska and Agricola, after two weeks the procedure is repeated.
Asters do not need too wet soil, so watering should be rare so that the soil does not dry out. After watering, each time the seedlings are aired.
How and when to plant seedlings?
In mid-May, seedlings are planted in open ground. Before this, they are hardened several times, taking them out into the open air. Asters are adapted to cold weather, so even small frosts will not be afraid of them. These flowers love a bright, even place where water does not stagnate after rain or watering.
Ready to plant seedlings already have well-developed roots, the height of the seedlings is about 10 cm. Plants are planted in the open area in the evening. First, make grooves, fill them with water. The distance between the grooves can vary from 30 to 50 cm.
As soon as the seedlings begin to grow, they are fed with complex fertilizer, after a month the procedure is repeated. In dry weather, moderate watering is carried out. Most suitable for them is sandy soil with non-acidic chernozem, fertilized with humus since autumn.
Spring sowing and caring procedures
Florists living in warm climates grow annual asters without seedlings, sow seeds directly into the ground. This contributes to abundant flowering and eliminates some diseases. Such asters will only bloom a little later.
Sowing of seeds is carried out in April, when the earth has already warmed up a bit, or in winter - in November. After the first seedlings and the appearance of the first leaves, the seedlings dive so that the distance between them is 15 cm. A little later, the extra bushes are carefully dug up and transplanted to the right place.
How to care for asters?
Callistefus has no special care requirements. They only need the following procedures:
- Timely and sufficient watering.
- Loosening and weeding the soil.
- Fertilizing with fertilizers.
Do not overmoisten the soil. Watering is carried out plentiful, but infrequent. So that moisture is well preserved, loosening is carried out after watering. For better development of plants, carry out the hilling of bushes. Regular weeding reduces the risk of disease. During the growing season and flowering, flowers are sure to fertilize.
Perennial flower aster
In rose gardens and gravel gardens , perennial asters are often used. Their flowers are much smaller than annuals. They grow bushes with a height of 20 to 40 cm. Plants have dense foliage, as well as white, pink, purple, blue or raspberry flowers.
All perennials are divided into early flowering and autumn flowering. The first group includes Alpine, Bessarabian and Italian asters. Alpine variety blooms in May and has tiny flowers similar to daisies. In June-July, Italian aster blooms, its flowers look like a small chamomile. In summer, the purple Bessarabian variety also blooms.
Shrubbery , New England and New Belgian asters belong to autumn-flowering perennials . The birthplace of the shrub variety is considered North America. Its bushes reach 20-60 cm in height. Not even flowering bushes adorn the garden, because the abundance of small foliage resembles boxwood. The most common in Russia are New Belgian flowers. They can be dwarf and tall. Differ in powerful bushes, panicled flowers and various coloring. Often in the autumn gardens, New England aster is also found. Her bushes can reach a height of up to 160 cm.
Diseases and Pests
Sometimes asters undergo fusarium wilting. During flowering, the plant becomes sluggish, the leaves fall. It’s better to burn them.
Often, gardeners have to deal with powdery mildew on asters. It appears with improper irrigation, non-nutritious soil, too dense planting. They fight the disease with Topaz and Sulfaride drugs.
Also, flowers can be affected by fungi, jaundice, rot. Mushrooms are exterminated by Polychome or Fundazole. For the prevention of rot, spraying is done with copper sulfate, copper chloroxide or Bordeaux liquid.