One-year asters originate from the wild Chinese aster Callisferus, which came to Europe in the 18th century. Since then, breeders have bred a lot of new plants that differ in various properties. One-year asters, the varieties of which have exceeded 4,000 in number, have become one of the favorite flowers in our gardens.
They belong to herbaceous plants, have a developed root system, erect solid stems. Inflorescences in them are a basket, which is formed by tubular or reed flowers. Asters, whose varieties are cold-resistant, can bloom until late autumn. They can be planted without fear of pollination, since they are self-pollinating plants.
Depending on what flowers the inflorescence consists of, 3 classes of asters are distinguished:
- Tubular - have inflorescences of tubular flowers.
- Transitional. Such asters have inflorescences both tubular and reed. At the same time, tubular ones are in the middle of the flower, reed ones are located on its periphery, where they are represented by 1 or 2 rows.
- Reed. These are asters whose varieties have reed inflorescences. Even if tubular inflorescences are present in them, reed inflorescences completely cover them.
Three classes of asters include 10 different types, which, in turn, include 44 sortogroups. The division into types is associated with differences in the structure of inflorescences. The following types of asters are distinguished: Tubular, Simple, Crown, Semi-double, Curly, Tiled, Radial, Needle, Spherical and Hemispherical. Each class of asters has a different number of types. For example, in the first - only one - Tubular. In the second - three: Simple, Crown and Half Terry. All other types belong to the third class - Reed.
Each group of asters includes different sortogroups, or sortotypes, which are called romantically and beautifully, for example, Apollo, Madeleine, Margarita, Milady, Unikum, Shenheit, Alexandria, Pion-shaped, etc. The number of sortogroups in each type is not the same. Inside the sortogroup, asters differ mainly in the color of the flowers.
In addition to dividing by the structure of flowers and inflorescences, color, all asters, their varieties, are divided by flowering time into early, medium flowering and late.
By purpose, varieties are distinguished universal, cut, casing and potted.
Cut asters have a strong and long stem, which makes them suitable for arranging bouquets. Casing asters are more compact, with a large number of flowers. They are used to create borders or flower beds. Universal suitable for casing, and for cutting. Potted asters are grown as houseplants.
In addition to all of the above, asters are divided by the size of the flowers into small (up to 4 cm), medium (10 cm) and large (more than 10 cm).
Depending on the height of the bush, asters are dwarf (up to 30 cm), medium (up to 70 cm) and high (up to 1 meter). The shape of the bush is columnar, oval-sprawling, pyramidal.
For the best varieties of asters, those who are winners of international exhibitions of these flowers are recognized. Among the casing, low asters are popular Nadia, belonging to the Triumph variety, Anyuta from the Princess variety. Here you can also rank the Baby curb - from the Needle variety, Waldersee from the same type, Voyerkugel - from the dwarf royal variety. Of the new ones, Supermoney is one of the best casing dwarf varieties.
Among asters of universal purpose, Alexandria asters belonging to the type of spherical can be noted. Dense, slender, tall and airy, they will decorate any garden and look great in bouquets. Lady Hamilton is a great universal variety. Shenhayt - tall, with sturdy peduncles and large, up to 10 cm, terry non-drooping flowers. The variety Naina is beautiful - with large, densely-colored flowers of saturated color. Beautiful needle aster Mystic with very large delicate lilac silver flowers.
New varieties of asters, for example, the beautiful cut-off aster Flirt with thick-doubled flowers on strong peduncles, belonging to the Spherical-needle, is distinguished by superearly flowering. Very beautiful Shanghai rose, cut-type aster. She has a very large, double terry bicolor flowers. Of the late asters, the Melody of the Night, blooming until the end of October, can be called. All varieties of asters are good in their own way.
Good luck in growing these beautiful flowers!