are aster perennials
Zones 4-8 | | Blooming Late Summer - Fall. From the Greek word for 'star', Asters can be counted on to bring color to the garden in late summer and fall, with their daisy-like blooms. Asters come in many heights and can be used in rock gardens, wildflower gardens or perennial borders. These plants like well-drained soil and tend to be very cold hardy. Asters are easy-to-grow in most soils and are an essential source of fall nectar and pollen for bees and butterflies. New this month! Perennials. Perennials, or plants and flowers that come back year after year, are found in virtually every yard. Perennial flowers work in multiple situations: in whole garden beds, in combination with annuals and bulbs, as accent to shrubs and trees, and in containers and windowboxes. Aster (genus) For other uses, see Aster (disambiguation). Aster is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Its circumscription has been narrowed, and it now encompasses around 180 species, all but one of which are restricted to Eurasia; many species formerly in Aster are now in other genera of the tribe Astereae. Flower heads like this make a perfect “landing pad” for butterflies so they can perch and enjoy a meal from multiple nectaries. If you want a butterfly garden, the Aster Family is absolutely essential. Exceptions to the disk/ray arrangement are all-ray flowers, like chicory, and all-disk flowers, like thistles. Asters get their name from the Latin word for star, and their flowers are indeed the superstars of the fall garden. Some types of this native plant can reach up to 6 feet with flowers in white and pinks but also, perhaps most strikingly, in rich purples and showy lavenders. From tall to small, splashy to subdued, these perennials are proven performers. Asters are the grande finale to the perennial garden, displaying vibrant fall colors in shades of pink, purple, blue, and white. They’re also one of the last great feeding opportunities for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. VARIETY OF BRIGHT COLORS. ASTERS. Asters are as diversified as they are beautiful. There are two distinct types of Asters, annuals called China Asters, and perennials known as Michaelmas daisies. Both are highly regarded, and flowers highly related to the many colors of fall. Wood aster comes in a bit taller at 4 to 6 feet, and is often called heart-leaf aster from the shape of its hairy mature leaves. The flowers dot along the smooth, thin, dark stems and are less than an inch wide. They bloom over several weeks in late summer into fall. 'Lady in Black' calico aster: S. laterifolium var. Aster Plants. Asters are invaluable in the hardy border, adding superb color in the autumn. Plants are very durable and long lived. September brings a burst of flowers in a wide range of colors that blend well together and are showy right to the close of the season. Shop our selection of Aster plants below. The Aster Family. One of the largest plant families is the world is the Aster Family or Asteraceae. Sometimes still referred to by its older name Compositae for its “composite” heads of small flowers that look like single large blooms, this plant group encompasses over 1,000 genera and about 20,000 species.
Yes, aster are perennials.