Plant Evaluation Notes ISSUE 36, 2013

A Comparative Study of Cultivated Asters

Richard G. Hawke, Plant Evaluation Manager

Jessie Vining Stevens

Symphyotrichum oblongifolium ‘Raydon’s Favorite’

utumn is the time of asters. In days one of the largest and most evolutionarily sion, white. The ray florets surround the clus-
suffused with the brilliant tones of specialized of plant families. The familial re- ter of disk florets; the number of rays varies
senescing leaves, asters finally show semblance is evident among aster relatives from a few to hundreds in some double-flow-
their true colors in gardens, both cultivated such as dahlias (Dahlia spp.), coneflowers ered cultivars. Each ray floret has one long,
and natural, along roadsides, and in native (Echinacea spp.), sunflowers (Helianthus narrow ligule that is distinctly petallike in ap-
places. Like clockwork, their starry flowers in spp.), Shasta daisies (Leucanthemum spp.), pearance, and acts much like the petal of a
rich hues of blue, purple, pink, or white burst and zinnias (Zinnia spp.). Recently, changes in typical flower to attract pollinators to the
forth to mark the change of seasons. A ubiq- the generic names of North American species plant. Ray florets come in varying shades of
uitous nature often saddles asters with the from Aster to less melodious names such as pink, red, lavender, blue, violet, purple, and
reputation of looking too wild, but their natu- Doellingeria, Eurybia, and Symphyotrichum white; the rays rather than the disks describe
ral beauty and garden merit cannot be over- have complicated matters for gardeners. The the overall flower color. Another attribute of
looked. Asters blend beautifully with a variety new names have not yet been universally asters is the leafy phyllaries or involucral
of grasses and perennials in a quintessen- embraced—the Royal Horticultural Society bracts that surround and protect the ray
tially autumnal tapestry. has not adopted the new names but most florets. The shape and prominence of the
native plant organizations are using the new phyllaries are helpful in distinguishing one
Approximately 250 types of asters are native nomenclature. Nonnative aster species are aster from another. Aster flowers are either
to North America, Europe, Asia, and to a not immune to this development and chang- solitary or clustered in multiflowered cor-
lesser extent, the southern hemisphere. es to additional generic names will undoubt- ymbs or racemes, and bloom for many
Most cultivated asters are herbaceous pe- edly be forthcoming. weeks in summer and autumn.
rennials, but there are annual, biennial, and
woody species too. Asters are in the Astera- Aster flowers are made up of numerous disk Aster leaves are simple and may be linear,
ceae or daisy family, notable for the unique and ray florets, which collectively give the ap- lanceolate, ovate, or cordate in shape.
composite floral structure of disk and ray pearance of a single large flower. The central The leaves on the lower stems or in basal
florets. The starburst effect of the aster flow- cluster holds the disk florets, which are tubu- clumps are commonly larger than the leaves
er is the origin of both its common and ge- lar with exserted anthers and styles; as many on the upper stems. Leaves at the tips of
neric names—aster comes from the Greek as 300 disk florets can be tightly packed into flowering stems are often significantly small-
word for star. There are about 1,300 genera the circular flower head. Disk florets may be er yet. Foliage may be smooth to pubescent,
and 21,000 species in Asteraceae, making it yellow, orange, brownish, purple, or, on occa- and occasionally fragrant, as is the case
2 Plant Evaluation Notes

of aromatic aster (Symphyotrichum oblongi- (formerly A. ericoides), S. laeve (formerly Unfortunately, not all asters are easy-care
folium). Plant habits range from less than a A. laevis), S. lateriflorum (formerly A. lateriflo- garden plants. Fast-growing asters such as
foot to over 6 feet tall, and from clumping rus), S. oblongifolium (formerly A. oblongifo- Symphyotrichum novae-angliae, S.novi-bel-
to rhizomatous (spreading by underground lius), S. oolentangiense (formerly A. azureus), gii, S. lateriflorum, and Doellingeria umbella-
stems). In fact, some species can be S. sericeum (formerly A. sericeus), and ta benefit from regular crown division every
aggressive spreaders. A common problem S. turbinellum (formerly A. turbinellus) prefer few years to reinvigorate the plants. Divide
of many garden asters is that their lower moist soils but are more tolerant of dry sites the crown in early spring or fall when cen-
leaves desiccate during the summer, be- than others. Tatarian aster, A. tataricus, ters begin to die out. Tall asters may require
coming unsightly and resulting in bare lower seems to have the greatest adaptability to a staking, especially in partial shade or in ex-
stems. Careful placement in the garden wide range of soil conditions. posed windy sites. Asters sheared to half
so that other plants mask the dying leaves their height in early to mid-June result in
mitigates this problem. The second group contains other sun-loving shorter plants that may not require staking.
species such as Aster amellus, A. ×frikartii, Early shearing is helpful in improving uneven
With such a large and diverse group of and A. tongolensis that prefer cool night habits, too. Deadheading is not usually
plants it is not easy to summarize their temperatures and need average to rich soils required but will reduce unwanted seed-
cultural needs in a few words. Generally with excellent drainage for optimum growth. lings. A number of foliar diseases such as
speaking, asters grow best in moist, well- These asters are native to seashores and powdery mildew and rusts are problematic
drained soils with plenty of sunlight. A few mountainous areas where good soil drain- for some asters, notably New England aster
simple guidelines are helpful in choosing the age is common. This group may be short- (S. novae-angliae) and New York aster
best locations for specific asters. Asters can lived in gardens, especially if good winter (S. novi-belgii). The usual recommendations
be lumped into three broad groups based drainage is not provided. The third broad for reducing or eliminating foliar diseases
on their native environments and garden group includes woodland asters that tolerate include choosing disease-resistant plants,
requirements. The first group includes deep shade but bloom best in light to partial improving air circulation by providing good
species that are native to meadows, prairies, shade. Symphyotrichum cordifolium (for- spacing between plants, thinning out one-
marshes, and roadsides, and thrive in aver- merly A. cordifolius), S. drummondii (formerly third of the stems, and minimizing overhead
age to rich, evenly moist soils in full sun. A. drummondii), Eurybia divaricata (formerly irrigation.
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae (formerly A. divaricatus), and E. macrophylla (formerly
Aster novae-angliae), S. novi-belgii (formerly A. macrophyllus) grow best in moist, hu- Along with goldenrods (Solidago spp.),
A. novi-belgii), S. lanceolatum (formerly A. mus-rich soil but tolerate dry conditions too. asters are classic autumnal flowers of
lanceolatus), and Doellingeria umbellata Despite their adaptability to shade, these gardens, roadsides, and native landscapes.
(formerly A. umbellatus) do best with steady species will produce the best flower dis- They are wonderful companions to a
soil moisture. Symphyotrichum ericoides plays when given morning sun. variety of other late-season perennials and

Richard Hawke

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae ‘Honeysong Pink’

3 Plant Evaluation Notes

grasses, whether peppered through a land-

scape or planted in large sweeps. Some
species such as East Indies aster (Aster ton-
golensis) bloom in early summer. Asters
come in a diversity of sizes and habits,
adapting to perennial borders, rockeries,
woodland gardens, and naturalistic land-
scapes. For example, white wood aster (Eu-
rybia divaricata) and heath aster (Symphyo-
trichum ericoides ‘Snow Flurry’) mound
beautifully into exceptional ground covers.
Robust bushy species such as calico aster
(S. lateriflorum) and aromatic aster (S. ob-
longifolium) have shrublike habits that work
well for massing. Many asters are good in

Richard Hawke
mixed containers for seasonal display, while
the use of certain asters as replacements
for fall mums has become popular.
Symphyotrichum ericoides ‘Snow Flurry’
The Evaluation Study
Between 2003 and 2009, the Chicago ed via overhead irrigation as needed and a The Performance Report
Botanic Garden (USDA Hardiness Zone 5b, mulch of shredded leaves and wood chips In spring 2003, 104 taxa of asters were
AHS Plant Heat Zone 5) evaluated 119 helped with water conservation and weed planted in the trial gardens, and 15 addition-
different asters in full-sun and partial-shade suppression. Moreover, plants were not fer- al taxa were added the following year.
trials. The goal of the comparative trial was tilized, winter mulched, or chemically treat- The asters were evaluated on four general
to identify outstanding asters for Upper ed for insect or disease problems. The test criteria: 1) cultural adaptability to the soil
Midwestern gardens. The study included garden was surrounded by an electrified and environmental conditions of the test
species, cultivars, and hybrids of native and fence to deter deer browsing but did not site; 2) disease and pest problems; 3) winter
nonnative asters. While the typical evalua- exclude rabbits. hardiness or survivability; and 4) ornamental
tion period for perennials is four years, the qualities associated with flowers, foliage,
average evaluation period for the asters was and plant habit. Final performance ratings
six years. are based on flower production, plant
health, habit quality, and winter hardiness.
Five plants of each taxon were grown in Plant traits and final performance ratings for
side-by-side plots for easy comparison of 116 of the 119 taxa are noted in Table 1.
ornamental traits and landscape perfor- Excluded from the table are Aster anoma-
mance. The evaluation garden was exposed lus, which was determined to be incorrectly
to wind from all directions and received ap- identified; Eurybia divaricata ‘Raiche Form’,
proximately ten hours of full sun daily during which is a synonym of ‘Eastern Star’; and
the growing season, which averaged 165 Symphyotrichum ‘Pink Star’, which is a
days per year for the trial period. Three taxa, synonym of ‘Ochtendgloren’.
Eurybia divaricata, E. divaricata ‘Eastern
Star’, and Symphyotrichum drummondii Seven asters received five-star excellent rat-
var. drummondii, were grown in par- ings for their overall performance, including
tial-shade beds adjacent to the full-sun Aster tataricus ‘Jindai’, Eurybia divaricata,
plots. The clay-loam soil, in both the sun Eurybia divaricata ‘Eastern Star’, Symphyo-
and shade beds, was amended with com- trichum ericoides ‘Snow Flurry’, Symphyo-
posted leaves and had a pH of 7.4 through- trichum lateriflorum, Symphyotrichum lateri-
out the evaluation term. The sites were nor- florum ‘Lady in Black’, and Symphyotrichum
mally well drained, but at times the soil oblongifolium ‘Raydon’s Favorite’. Top-rat-
retained moisture for short periods in sum- ed asters displayed consistently strong
mer and winter. habits, superior flower production, excellent
disease resistance, and full winter hardiness
Richard Hawke

Maintenance practices were kept to a mini- throughout a six-year evaluation term. Addi-
mum, thereby allowing plants to thrive or fail tionally, 19 asters received four-star good
under natural conditions. Water was provid- ratings for their strong performances.
Aster tongolensis ‘Wartburgstern’
Table 1: Performance Ratings and Summary of Plant Traits

Overall Aster Flower Flower Bloom Period Flower Plant Plant Mildew Rust
Rating Color Size1 Coverage2 Height Width Resistance3 Resistance4

HHHH Aster amellus ‘Doktor Otto Petschek’ lavender 1¼ in. mid Sept-late Oct excellent 20 in. 36 in. excellent excellent
HH Aster amellus ‘Rudolph Goethe’ dark lavender 1½ in. mid Jul-late Sep excellent 20 in. 25 in. excellent good
H Aster ×frikartii ‘Flora’s Delight’ lavender 2 in. mid Jun-mid Oct poor 12 in. 6 in. excellent good
H Aster ×frikartii ‘Jungfrau’ violet 2 in. late Jul-early Oct fair 18 in. 18 in. excellent excellent
HH Aster ×frikartii ‘Mönch’ lavender-blue 2 in. late Jul-late Oct good 22 in. 32 in. excellent poor
HH Aster ×frikartii ‘Wunder von Stäfa’ lavender-blue 2 in. late Jul-mid Oct fair 23 in. 32 in. excellent fair
HHHHH Aster tataricus ‘Jindai’ violet-blue 1 in. late Sep-late Nov excellent 40 in. 32 in. excellent excellent
HHHH Aster tongolensis ‘Wartburgstern’ (‘Wartburg Star’) violet-blue 2 in. early Jun-mid Jul good 20 in. 24 in. excellent good
HHHH Doellingeria umbellata white ½ in. early Aug-mid Oct excellent 60 in. 55 in. excellent excellent
HHHHH Eurybia divaricata white ¾ in. early Aug-early Nov excellent 24 in. 46 in. excellent excellent
HHHHH Eurybia divaricata ‘Eastern Star’ white 1¼ in. early Aug-early Nov excellent 21 in. 36 in. excellent excellent
HHH Eurybia macrophylla light purple 1½ in. late Jul-mid Oct excellent 49 in. 36 in. excellent very poor
HH Symphyotrichum ‘Ariel’ lavender 1 in. early Sep-late Oct good 32 in. 29 in. excellent very poor
HHH Symphyotrichum ‘Bill’s Big Blue’ lavender-blue 1 in. early Oct-mid Nov poor 58 in. 52 in. good excellent
HHHH Symphyotrichum ‘Cape Cod’ white 58
in. mid Sep-early Nov excellent 49 in. 62 in. excellent excellent
HHH Symphyotrichum ‘Cassie’ light purple 1¼ in. early Sep-mid Oct good 36 in. 30 in. fair excellent
HH Symphyotrichum ‘Celeste’ violet 1 in. early Sep-late Oct fair 35 in. 28 in. excellent very poor
HH Symphyotrichum ‘Coombe Fishacre’ pink ¾ in. late Aug-late Oct fair 34 in. 34 in. very poor excellent
HH Symphyotrichum ‘Dragon’ violet-blue 1¼ in. early Sep-early Nov good 18 in. 18 in. excellent very poor
HH Symphyotrichum ‘Judith’ violet-blue 1¼ in. early Sep-early Oct poor 36 in. 34 in. good very poor
HH Symphyotrichum ‘Karmijn Milka’ bright purple ¾ in. mid Sep-late Oct poor 37 in. 24 in. good very poor
HHHH Symphyotrichum ‘Kylie’ pale pink ¾ in. early Sep-mid Oct excellent 46 in. 40 in. excellent excellent
HH Symphyotrichum ‘Lilac Blue Admiral’ lavender ¾ in. mid Sep-early Oct very poor 39 in. 34 in. good very poor
HH Symphyotrichum ‘Little Carlow’ violet-blue ¾ in. mid Sep-early Nov fair 31 in. 23 in. good very poor
HH Symphyotrichum ‘Little Dorritt’ purple-pink ¾ in. D early Sep-mid Oct poor 30 in. 22 in. excellent very poor
H Symphyotrichum ‘Loke Viking’ red-purple 1½ in. late Aug-early Oct poor 10 in. 14 in. excellent excellent
H Symphyotrichum ‘Magic’ purple 1 in. late Aug-early Oct fair 9 in. 12 in. excellent excellent
HH Symphyotrichum ‘Melba’ lavender-pink 1 in. mid Sep-mid Oct fair 14 in. 24 in. fair fair
HH Symphyotrichum ‘Melody’ lavender 1½ in. late Aug-early Nov good 27 in. 24 in. very poor very poor
HHH Symphyotrichum ‘Milka’ light violet 1 in. D late Sep-early Nov good 36 in. 28 in. good fair
HHH Symphyotrichum ‘Miss Bessie’ lavender 1 in. begins early Nov n/a 59 in. 40 in. good good
HHH Symphyotrichum ‘Ochtendgloren’ purple-pink ¾ in. early Sep-late Oct good 40 in. 40 in. excellent very poor
HH Symphyotrichum ‘Pixie Dark’ purple ¾ in. late July-mid Oct poor 29 in. 27 in. very poor excellent
HH Symphyotrichum ‘Puff’ white 1 in. late Aug-mid Oct fair 35 in. 36 in. very poor poor
HH Symphyotrichum ‘Purple Viking’ purple-blue 1 in. early Aug-late Sep poor 35 in. 33 in. fair good
HH Symphyotrichum ‘Red Star’ magenta 1½ in. early Aug-late Sep poor 15 in. 21 in. very poor poor
HH Symphyotrichum ‘Royal Opal’ pale lavender 1¼ in. late Aug-mid Oct good 21 in. 24 in. excellent excellent
H Symphyotrichum ‘Sunny Almog’ vivid pink 1 in. mid Sep-late Oct poor 9 in. 12 in. excellent very poor
HHH Symphyotrichum ‘White Climax’ white 1¼ in. early Sep-late Oct good 50 in. 36 in. poor excellent
HH Symphyotrichum cordifolium pale lavender ½ in. late Sep-early Nov excellent 34 in. 24 in. excellent excellent
HHH Symphyotrichum cordifolium ‘Ideal’ lavender ¾ in. mid Sep-early Nov excellent 60 in. 35 in. excellent poor
4
Overall Aster Flower Flower Bloom Period Flower Plant Plant Mildew Rust
Rating Color Size1 Coverage2 Height Width Resistance3 Resistance4

HHHH Symphyotrichum drummondii var. drummondii lavender-blue ¾ in. late Sep-early Nov good 49 in. 45 in. good excellent
HH Symphyotrichum ericoides ‘Blue Star’ pale blue ½ in. early Sep-late Sep excellent 33 in. 50 in. excellent very poor
HHHH Symphyotrichum ericoides ‘Erlkönig’ pale lavender-blue ½ in. early Sep-mid Oct excellent 42 in. 56 in. good good
HHHH Symphyotrichum ericoides ‘First Snow’ white ½ in. late Aug-late Oct excellent 19 in. 40 in. excellent fair
HHHHH Symphyotrichum ericoides ‘Snow Flurry’ white 38
in. mid Sep-late Oct excellent 8 in. 48 in. excellent excellent
HH Symphyotrichum laeve lavender 1 in. early Sep-mid Oct fair 44 in. 39 in. fair excellent
HH Symphyotrichum laeve ‘Bluebird’ violet-blue 1 in. late Aug-mid Oct fair 49 in. 36 in. excellent good
HH Symphyotrichum laeve ‘Calliope’ lilac-purple 13 8 in. mid Sep-late Oct good 57 in. 60 in. excellent very poor
HH Symphyotrichum laeve ‘Kurt’ violet 1¼ in. early Sep-mid Oct good 16 in. 12 in. good excellent
HHH Symphyotrichum lanceolatum var. lanceolatum white ¾ in. early Sep-late Sep fair 72 in. 70 in. fair fair
HHHHH Symphyotrichum lateriflorum white 38
in. late Aug-mid Oct excellent 39 in. 60 in. excellent excellent
HHHHH Symphyotrichum lateriflorum ‘Lady in Black’ white ½ in. early Sep-late Oct excellent 34 in. 50 in. excellent excellent
HHHH Symphyotrichum lateriflorum ‘Lovely’ pale purple 38
in. early Sep-mid Oct good 25 in. 26 in. excellent excellent
HHH Symphyotrichum lateriflorum var. horizontale white 38
in. mid Sep-mid Oct fair 29 in. 30 in. excellent excellent
HHH Symphyotrichum novae-angliae purple 1¾ in. late Sep-mid Nov excellent 69 in. 60 in. fair excellent
HHH Symphyotrichum novae-angliae cerise-pink 1½ in. D early Aug-late Oct excellent 38 in. 60 in. fair excellent
‘Andenken an Alma Pötschke’
HHH Symphyotrichum novae-angliae purple-pink 1½ in. early Sep-late Oct good 52 in. 49 in. fair excellent
‘Andenken an Paul Gerbe’
HHH Symphyotrichum novae-angliae ‘Barr’s Blue’ purple-blue 1½ in. D early Sep-late Oct excellent 55 in. 68 in. poor excellent
HHHH Symphyotrichum novae-angliae ‘Harrington’s Pink’ rosy pink 1¼ in. early Sep-mid Oct excellent 60 in. 50 in. fair excellent
HH Symphyotrichum novae-angliae ‘Hella Lacy’ light violet-blue 1 in. late Sep-early Nov poor 34 in. 48 in. very poor excellent
HHHH Symphyotrichum novae-angliae ‘Honeysong Pink’ deep pink 1½ in. early Sep-mid Oct excellent 59 in. 40 in. fair excellent
HHH Symphyotrichum novae-angliae ‘Lachsglut’ deep pink 1½ in. late Aug-mid Oct excellent 50 in. 40 in. very poor excellent
HHH Symphyotrichum novae-angliae ‘Mrs. S.T. Wright’ purple 2¼ in. D early Aug-mid Oct good 49 in. 53 in. poor excellent
HHH Symphyotrichum novae-angliae ‘Purple Dome’ violet-purple 1½ in. early Sep-early Nov excellent 16 in. 24 in. fair excellent
HH Symphyotrichum novae-angliae ‘Septemberrubin’ purple-red 1½ in. mid Aug-mid Oct fair 45 in. 54 in. very poor excellent
HHH Symphyotrichum novae-angliae ‘Treasure’ purple 2 in. early Aug-early Oct excellent 64 in. 38 in. poor excellent
HHH Symphyotrichum novae-angliae ‘Wedding Lace’ white 1¾ in. early Aug-mid Oct excellent 64 in. 54 in. poor excellent
HH Symphyotrichum novi-belgii purple 1½ in. early Jul-early Oct excellent 44 in. 40 in. excellent fair
HH Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Alice Haslem’ light red 1½ in. early Aug-early Oct excellent 12 in. 20 in. very poor excellent
HHHH Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Blaubox’ light lavender 1½ in. mid Sep-mid Oct excellent 28 in. 32 in. very poor good
HH Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Blue Danube’ lavender-blue 1¼ in. mid Sep-mid Oct poor 50 in. 26 in. good very poor
HH Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Blue Gown’ lavender-blue 1¼ in. early Sep-late Oct excellent 50 in. 52 in. excellent very poor
HH Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Blue Lagoon’ violet-blue 1 in. early Sep-mid Oct excellent 19 in. 28 in. excellent very poor
HHH Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Blue Lake’ violet-blue 1 in. mid Sep-mid Oct fair 55 in. 50 in. excellent very poor
HH Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Boningale White’ white 2 in. D early Aug-mid Oct fair 21 in. 21 in. very poor excellent
HH Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Bonny Blue’ lavender 1 in. early Sep-late Oct excellent 8 in. 27 in. excellent fair
HH Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Brigitte’ pale blue 1 in. early Sep-mid Oct fair 36 in. 34 in. excellent very poor
HH Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Butterfly Blue’ lavender ¾ in. early Sep-mid Oct fair 32 in. 22 in. very poor good
HHH Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Choristers’ white ½ in. late Sep-late Oct excellent 64 in. 75 in . excellent poor

5
Overall Aster Flower Flower Bloom Period Flower Plant Plant Mildew Rust
Rating Color Size1 Coverage2 Height Width Resistance3 Resistance4

HHHH Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Climax’ lavender-blue 1¼ in. early Sep-early Nov excellent 46 in. 40 in. excellent excellent
HH Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Crimson Brocade’ purple-red 1½ in. early Sep-early Oct poor 26 in. 26 in. fair good
HH Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Daniela’ purple 1¼ in. D late Sep-early Nov fair 12 in. 24 in. excellent very poor
HH Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Eventide’ lavender-blue 2 in. D early Sep-early Oct excellent 22 in. 14 in. fair very poor
HH Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Fellowship’ pale pink 1¼ in. D early Sep-early Oct poor 29 in. 33 in. excellent very poor
HH Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Freda Ballard’ purple-red 1¼ in. D late Aug-early Oct poor 20 in. 18 in. poor excellent
HH Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Harrison’s Blue’ violet-blue 1½ in. D early Sep-mid Oct excellent 36 in. 38 in. poor very poor
HH Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Heinz Richard’ purple-pink 1½ in. early Jul-late Sep fair 11 in. 30 in. good very poor
H Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Jenny’ purple-red 1½ in. D late Jul-mid Oct fair 14 in. 17 in. excellent very poor
HH Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Kiesapphire’ Sapphire vivid violet 1½ in. mid Sep-mid Oct fair 24 in. 22 in. excellent very poor
HHH Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Lady in Blue’ lavender-blue 1¼ in. early Sep-mid Oct fair 14 in. 30 in. excellent very poor
HH Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Marie Ballard’ lavender-blue 1¾ in. D late Aug-early Oct fair 32 in. 20 in. poor fair
HHH Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Mariore’ pink 1¼ in. mid Sep-mid Oct excellent 18 in. 30 in. very poor very poor
HH Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Niobe’ white 1½ in. early Sep-mid Oct fair 14 in. 13 in. good good
HH Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Patricia Ballard’ pink 1¾ in. D late Aug-early Oct fair 32 in. 26 in. fair very poor
HHH Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Porzellan’ light purple 1½ in. early Sep-early Nov excellent 62 in. 60 in. good very poor
HH Symphyotrichum novi-belgii lavender-blue 1 in. late Aug-early Oct fair 11 in. 26 in. excellent very poor
‘Professor Anton Kippenberg’
H Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Richness’ purple 1 in. D late Aug-late Sep fair 26 in. 26 in. excellent very poor
HHHH Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Rosenwichtel’ purple-pink 1¼ in. early Sep-mid Oct excellent 12 in. 30 in. excellent excellent
HH Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Sailor Boy’ purple-blue 1¾ in. D early Sep-mid Oct excellent 19 in. 24 in. fair fair
HHH Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Schneekissen’ white 1 in. early Sep-mid Oct good 10 in. 16 in. excellent good
(‘Snow Cushion’)
HH Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Starlight’ violet 1¼ in. early Sep-mid Oct good 10 in. 14 in. excellent very poor
HHH Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Violet Carpet’ violet-blue 1 in. mid Aug-late Oct fair 9 in. 36 in. excellent good
HH Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘White Swan’ white 1½ in. D early Sep-late Oct good 36 in. 28 in. very poor excellent
H Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Winston S. Churchill’ purple-red 1½ in. early Sep-mid Oct fair 19 in. 31 in. excellent excellent
HHH Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Wood’s Blue’ lavender-blue 1½ in. late Aug-late Oct fair 11 in. 30 in. good excellent
HHH Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Wood’s Light Blue’ light blue 1 in. late Aug-mid Oct excellent 8 in. 24 in. excellent excellent
HHH Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Wood’s Purple’ purple 1¼ in. early Aug-late Oct good 9 in. 18 in. excellent excellent
HHHH Symphyotrichum oblongifolium lavender-blue 1½ in. early Aug-early Nov good 36 in. 40 in. excellent excellent
HHHH Symphyotrichum oblongifolium ‘Fanny’s Aster’ light purple 1¼ in. mid Oct-frost good 47 in. 40 in. good excellent
HHHH Symphyotrichum oblongifolium ‘October Skies’ lavender-blue 1¼ in. early Aug-late Oct good 35 in. 50 in. fair excellent
H H H H H Symphyotrichum oblongifolium ‘Raydon’s Favorite’ blue-purple 1¼ in. early Aug-early Nov excellent 38 in. 53 in. excellent excellent
HHHH Symphyotrichum oblongifolium var. angustatus lavender-blue 1¼ in. early Sep-early Nov fair 35 in. 65 in. excellent excellent
HHH Symphyotrichum oolentangiense lavender 1 in. early Sep-late Oct fair 45 in. 28 in. fair excellent
HHH Symphyotrichum sericeum purple-blue 1½ in. mid Aug-late Sep fair 22 in. 32 in. excellent excellent
HHHH Symphyotrichum turbinellum violet-blue 1¼ in. early Sep-early Nov excellent 58 in. 56 in. good excellent

Overall Ratings: H H H H H excellent, H H H H good, H H H fair, H H poor, H very poor
1
D indicates double flower form
2
Flower Coverage: excellent 100-80%; good 79-60%; fair 59-40%; poor 39-20%; very poor <20%
3
Mildew Resistance: excellent, no infection; good <25% infection; fair 26-50% infection; poor 51-75% infection; very poor >76%
4
Rust Resistance: excellent, no infection; good <25% infection; fair 26-50% infection; poor 51-75% infection; very poor >76%
6
7 Plant Evaluation Notes

Top-rated Asters Observations

Aster tataricus ‘Jindai’ is somewhat of an Our trial featured an array of fall-blooming
enigma among garden asters. Large, species and hybrid cultivars, as well as
coarse basal leaves, nearly 2 feet long, are summer-blooming species such as the As-
more reminiscent of horseradish than of a ter ×frikartii and A. tongolensis. Generally,
typical aster. Rhizomatous stems create the asters were strong bloomers, typically
vigorous clumps that make ‘Jindai’ a good producing copious flowers for an extended
massing plant. Flower stems begin to grow period. Flowers ranged from less than half
in August, eventually reaching up to 4 feet an inch to slightly over 2 inches wide, and
tall before flowers open in late September. were single to semi-double to double in
The lovely violet-blue and yellow flowers form depending on the number of ray florets
continue blooming well into late November present. While most cultivars are probably
or early December at the Chicago Botanic best described as semidouble because
Garden. ‘Jindai’ is 2 feet shorter than the they had more than a single row of ray flo-
species and is a wonderful late-season rets, cultivars with an excess of ray florets
aster with a distinctive habit. are distinguished as double-flowered in Ta-
ble 1. Lower flower production was usually
White wood aster, Eurybia divaricata, is one due to disease issues, animal browsing, or
of the few asters that grow well in shady lack of vigor caused by winter crown loss.

Richard Hawke
gardens, although morning sun encourages The flower production of Symphyotrichum
more flower production. The smallish white ‘Miss Bessie’ was unrated because it began
flowers with yellow centers, produced in blooming in early November, too late in the
profusion from early August to early Novem- Aster tataricus ‘Jindai’ season to observe its full potential before
ber, are borne on dark burgundy, wiry frost halted the bloom cycle.
stems. Its mounded bushy habit was more tal branches in late August to mid-Septem-
upright than ‘Eastern Star’. Differences be- ber. New leaves emerge bronze but fade Asters are known primarily for their floral
tween the species and ‘Eastern Star’ were quickly to dark green. On the other hand, display rather than their foliar display since
minor but noticeable in side-by-side com- the leaves of ‘Lady in Black’ remain strongly most species have simple, somewhat non-
parisons. ‘Eastern Star’ featured larger purple all summer—full sun is essential to descript leaves. However, the leaves of
flowers, darker green leaves, and a slightly get the best color. While its bushy, vaselike some asters are notable for their color, tex-
shorter stature. The arching dusky stems habit is similar to the species, ‘Lady ture, or fragrance. The new leaves of Sym-
were a bit more recumbent than the spe- in Black’ was slightly more compact in our phyotrichum lateriflorum are nicely bronzed,
cies, especially during the bloom period. trial. As the flowers age, the disks change while S. lateriflorum var. horizontale has a
The white wood aster is particularly fetching from yellow to purplish pink, which is partic- purple cast to its upper leaves and ‘Lady in
planted in drifts in high-shade landscapes. ularly pleasing against the purple leaves. Black’ features purple leaves all summer.
Calico aster was untroubled by powdery Smooth blue aster, S. laeve ‘Bluebird’ has
The habit of white heath aster, Symphyo- mildew despite the fact that many neighbor- attractive blue-green leaves, and S. laeve
trichum ericoides ‘Snow Flurry’, set it apart ing species were infected. Unfortunately, ‘Calliope’ displays purple terminal leaves
from any other asters in the trial. The low, all calico asters were browsed periodically that eventually become dark green with pur-
arching stems create an undulating mound- by rabbits. ple midribs and stems. From a textural
ed habit only 8 inches tall but nearly 4 feet standpoint, the soft, silvery leaves of silky
wide. The mat-forming habit makes a great ‘Raydon’s Favorite’ is one of the popular aster (S. sericeum) live up to their name.
ground cover and is an excellent choice to cultivars of the aromatic aster, Symphyo- At opposite ends of the spectrum are the
cascade over walls or containers. ‘Snow trichum oblongifolium. The slightly sticky, fine-textured, grasslike leaves of ‘Cape Cod’
Flurry’ is aptly named for the snowstorm of aromatic leaves superficially resemble S. and the coarse basal leaves of A. tataricus
white flowers that blanket plants in Septem- novae-angliae but in this case the basal ‘Jindai’. In our trials we observed that the
ber and October. No description of the small lobes do not clasp the stems. An abun- boldly textured ‘Jindai’ was perfectly juxta-
white flowers does justice to the actual dance of blue-purple flowers are produced posed to the tiny leaves on the flowering
stunning floral display. ‘Snow Flurry’ is also over a long period beginning in early Au- stems of ‘Raydon’s Favorite’. Although fra-
disease free and tolerant of dry conditions. gust; in fact, precocious flowers often pop grance is not a common trait of asters, the
up a few weeks before blooming begins in leaves and phyllaries of aromatic aster (S.
Calico aster, Symphyotrichum lateriflorum, earnest. The billowy habit of ‘Raydon’s Fa- oblongifolium) have a pleasant minty aroma.
is another aster with a singular habit and flo- vorite’ has an informal look that suits it well
ral display. Wiry stems terminate in horizon- to mass plantings and naturalizing. Aromat- Aster habits ranged from clump-forming to
tally arched branches that give the plant its ic aster is a good alternative to New En- rhizomatous, with the degree of spreading
graceful habit. Sprays of small white blos- gland aster because it is more resistant to varying between species and cultivars. For
soms cover the upper sides of the horizon- powdery mildew. example, Aster tongolensis ‘Wartburgstern’
8 Plant Evaluation Notes

spread slowly to form a small, dense mat

over several years; whereas, Symphyo-
trichum novi-belgii ‘Blue Lake’ spread ag-
gressively to the point of weediness by the
second growing season. Other taxa with
vigorously spreading habits include S. ‘Bill’s
Big Blue’, S. ‘Miss Bessie’, S. laeve ‘Calli-
ope’, S. lanceolatum var. lanceolatum, S.
novi-belgii ‘Choristers’, and S. novi-belgii
‘Porzellan’. Aster tataricus ‘Jindai’ is also
strongly rhizomatous but its growth rate
was not considered overly aggressive in the
trial plots.

Relaxed habits late in the season were not

uncommon for many asters, especially as
plants came into full bloom. However, a
small number of taxa had unkempt habits
with floppy to lodged stems by early Sep-
tember of each year. Among the taxa with
consistently poor habits were Symphyo-
trichum ‘Celeste’, S. ‘Little Carlow’, S. no-
vae-angliae ‘Septemberrubin’, S. novae-an-

Pat Sommers
gliae ‘Treasure’, and S. novi-belgii ‘Blue
Danube’. Measurements noted in Table 1
were taken before flopping occurred. In a
few cases, discrepancies were noted be- Eurybia divaricata
tween the expected plant sizes and what
we actually saw. At 54 inches tall, S. close proximity is that the plants not trou- ‘Fellowship’, ‘Harrison’s Blue’, ‘Heinz Rich-
novi-belgii ‘Choristers’ was nearly 2 feet tall- bled by foliar diseases are most likely inher- ard’, ‘Jenny’, ‘Kiesapphire’, ‘Lady in Blue’,
er than noted in literature citations. And ently disease resistant. ‘Mariore’, ‘Patricia Ballard’, ‘Porzellan’,
while there was a slight difference in flower ‘Professor Anton Kippenberg’, ‘Richness’,
color between ‘October Skies’ and ‘Ray- Foliar rust and powdery mildew are limiting and ‘Starlight’.
don’s Favorite’, plants of ‘October Skies’ factors to growing asters successfully. Both
were nearly twice the anticipated height in diseases are debilitating to plant health and Conversely, cultivars of Symphyotrichum
our trial. The asters were not deadheaded disfiguring to leaves and plant habits. Rust novae-angliae were more troubled by pow-
during the trial and seedlings of several spe- diseases produce reddish, orange, or brown dery mildew than by rust. Powdery mildew
cies were commonly observed in the trial pustules on the undersides of leaves and is a fungus that grows mainly on the upper
plots, although none were overly prolific. along stems of the entire plant. Rust fungi surfaces of the leaves, but can infect stems
Seedlings of Eurybia divaricata, S. no- rarely kill infected plants because they and flowers too. The white fungal patches
vae-angliae, and S. oblongifolium were not need living plants to survive; however, rust may be spotty or coalesce to completely
attributed to any specific cultivar. infections diminish the ornamental display cover the leaf surface. Severely infected
by reducing flower production and weaken- plants look unsightly and may likely defoli-
The asters were generally adaptable to the ing plants. Rust was more prevalent on ate. Occasionally, the severity of infected
conditions of the test site, whether planted S. novi-belgii cultivars and related hybrids plants was less noticeable at a casual
in the full-sun or partial-shade plots. Unfor- than other asters in the trial. Among the taxa glance, but upon closer inspection, many of
tunately, the cultivars of Aster ×frikartii were that were most affected by rust were: the diseased leaves were hidden within
adversely affected by the winter wetness of Aster ×frikartii ‘Mönch’, Eurybia macrophyl- the tightly mounded plants. Among the
the soil and did not persist in the trial. Many la, Symphyotrichum ‘Ariel’, S. ‘Celeste’, S. novae-angliae cultivars that appeared
asters seemed to thrive with the limited level S. ‘Dragon’, S. ‘Judith’, S. ‘Karmijn Milka’, healthier than actual infection levels might
of maintenance provided; however, over- S. ‘Lilac Blue Admiral’, S. ‘Little Carlow’, indicate were ‘Barr’s Blue’, ‘Harrington’s
head irrigation of the trial beds likely contrib- S. ‘Little Dorritt’, S. ‘Melody’, S. ‘Ochtendg- Pink’, ‘Honeysong Pink’, and ‘Mrs. S.T.
uted to an increase in disease issues. In loren’, S. ‘Puff’, S. ‘Red Star’, S. ‘Sunny Al- Wright’. Powdery mildew among all asters
fact, growing so many asters together in a mog’, S. cordifolium ‘Ideal’, S. ericoides in the trial was less of a problem than
common garden greatly increased the pro- ‘Blue Star’, S. laeve ‘Calliope’, and S. expected based on the reputation of their
pensity for, and severity of, diseases such novi-belgii cultivars ‘Blue Danube’, ‘Blue mildew susceptibility, the number of closely
as powdery mildew or rust. The upside to Gown’, ‘Blue Lagoon’, ‘Blue Lake’, ‘Bri- planted asters, and our use of overhead
growing a large number of similar taxa in gitte’, ‘Choristers’, ‘Daniela’, ‘Eventide’, irrigation.
9 Plant Evaluation Notes

Rabbits and deer were occasional pests in Eurybia divaricata, E. divaricata ‘Eastern ore’, S. novi-belgii ‘Porzellan’, S. oblongifo-
the trial garden. A deer-exclusion fence sur- Star’, Symphyotrichum ‘Cape Cod’, lium ‘Fanny’s Aster’, S. oblongifolium ‘Octo-
rounded the trial garden, but there was no S. ‘Kylie’, S. ‘Miss Bessie’, S. drummondii ber Skies’, S. oblongifolium ‘Raydon’s
attempt to keep out rabbits. Rabbit brows- var. drummondii, S. ericoides ‘Erlkönig’, Favorite’, S. oblongifolium var. angustatus,
ing was commonly observed in all years of S. ericoides ‘First Snow’, S. ericoides ‘Snow and S. turbinellum. A handful of taxa lived
the trial, resulting in infrequent to repeated Flurry’, S. laeve ‘Calliope’, S. lateriflorum, S. for one summer and died in the first winter,
damage on some but not all asters. Rabbit lateriflorum ‘Lady in Black’, S. novae-angli- including Aster ×frikartii cultivars ‘Flora’s De-
browsing affected the ornamental display ae, S. novae-angliae ‘Andenken an Paul light’, ‘Jungfrau’, and ‘Wunder Von Stafa’,
by causing irregular stem heights, reducing Gerbe’, S. novae-angliae ‘Barr’s Blue’, S. as well as Symphyotrichum ‘Loke Viking’, S.
flower production, and/or delaying bloom novae-angliae ‘Harrington’s Pink’, S. no- ‘Magic’, S. ‘Sunny Almog’, S. novi-belgii
times. Asters damaged by rabbits in each vae-angliae ‘Honeysong Pink’, S. novae-an- ‘Jenny’, S. novi-belgii ‘Richness’, and S.
year of the trial included: Symphyotrichum gliae ‘Lachsglut’, S. novae-angliae ‘Mrs. novi-belgii ‘Winston S. Churchill’.
‘Celeste’, S. ‘Melody’, S. ‘Ochtendgloren’, S.T. Wright’, S. novae-angliae ‘Purple
S. ‘Purple Viking’, S. ‘White Climax’, S. eri- Dome’, S. novae-angliae ‘Treasure’, S. no- Cultural problems and disease issues rather
coides ‘Erlkönig’, S. novi-belgii ‘Blue Gown’, vae-angliae ‘Wedding Lace’, S. novi-belgii than cold hardiness were determined to be
and S. novi-belgii ‘Daniela’. In addition, S. ‘Blaubox’, S. novi-belgii ‘Blue Lake’, S. the common causes of winter injury among
‘Cape Cod’, S. ‘Little Carlow’, S. ‘Milka’, S. novi-belgii ‘Choristers’, S. novi-belgii ‘Mari- the asters. New York aster (Symphyo-
cordifolium, S. laeve ‘Kurt’, S. lateriflorum,
S. lateriflorum ‘Lady in Black’, S. lateriflorum
‘Lovely’, S. lateriflorum var. horizontale, S.
novi-belgii ‘Porzellan’, and S. turbinellum
were rabbit-browsed in more than one year
but not in all years. Due to the electrified ex-
clusion fence, fewer asters were damaged
by deer, except over a several-night period
in 2003 when failure to secure the gate re-
sulted in a fair number of taxa being
browsed. Among the deer-browsed asters
were: S. ‘Bill’s Big Blue’, S. ‘Cassie’, S.
‘Coombe Fishacre’, S. ‘Little Carlow’, S.
‘Little Dorritt’, S. ‘Melba’, S. ‘Milka’, S.
‘Ochtendgloren’, S. ‘Puff’, S. ‘Purple Vi-
king’, S. ‘Royal Opal’, S. ‘Sunny Almog’, S.
‘White Climax’, S. laeve, S. lanceolatum var.
lanceolatum, S. lateriflorum ‘Lady in Black’,
S. novae-angliae, S. novae-angliae ‘Anden-
ken an Alma Potschke’, S. novae-angliae
‘Harrington’s Pink’, S. novae-angliae ‘Hella
Lacy’, S. novae-angliae ‘Honeysong Pink’,
S. novae-angliae ‘Mrs. S.T. Wright’, S. no-
vae-angliae ‘Purple Dome’, S. novae-angli-
ae ‘Treasure’, and all 38 cultivars of S.
novi-belgii. The extent of damage observed
during this short period indicates that asters
are generally quite appealing to deer.

Seventy percent of the asters suffered plant

loss, crown injury, or both in winter. Approx-
imately 45 percent of the taxa had all plants
killed over one or more winters; 15 percent
of taxa had one or more plants killed over
winter but with some representatives alive
at the end of the trial; and ten percent of
taxa had some degree of crown loss in one
Carol Freeman

or more winters but no plant loss noted.

Nearly 30 percent of the taxa were uninjured
in any winter during the trial period including
Symphyotrichum lateriflorum ‘Lady in Black’
10 Plant Evaluation Notes

trichum novi-belgii), which is considered

cold hardy to USDA Zone 4 (minus 30 de-
grees Fahrenheit), actually suffered more
winter loss than any other species in our
trial. Of the 62 S. novi-belgii types, including
cultivars and hybrids, roughly ten percent of
the taxa died outright in the first winter, 37
percent of the taxa died out fully during the
second winter, and six percent were never
injured. The significant plant loss recorded
during the second winter of 2004-05 did not
correspond to the most severe winter con-
ditions during the trial period. In fact, the
2004-05 winter was the mildest of the trial
years with only two days of subzero tem-
peratures and significant snowfall (see Table
2). However, the health of many plants was
greatly reduced during the 2004 growing

Richard Hawke
season due to severe rust infections that
contributed to their demise in the subse-
quent winter. In the end, the severe plant
loss incurred in winter resulted in only 18
Symphyotrichum turbinellum
S. novi-belgii taxa with one or more plants
alive at the end of the trial. In the case of A number of hybrid cultivars in the trial ‘Purple Viking’, and ‘Sunny Almog’. While
other asters, plant loss over winter was di- were developed as floricultural alternatives most of these cultivars performed well in the
rectly related to poor plant health observed to seasonal mums but were under evalua- first year or two of the trial, they typically lan-
in the previous summer. In addition, the tion to determine their longevity as garden guished and/or gradually died out in subse-
Aster ×frikartii cultivars (USDA Zone 5-8), perennials. This type of aster is typically a quent years. Based on their performance,
were killed over winter due to excessive soil hybrid of Symphyotrichum novi-belgii, and floricultural asters are recommended for use
wetness rather than cold temperatures. in our trial included ‘Ariel’, ‘Celeste’, ‘Drag- as seasonal annuals rather than long-term
This species requires sharp drainage for on’, ‘Judith’, ‘Karmijn Milka’, ‘Loke Viking’, perennials in northern gardens.
optimum growth. Magic’, ‘Melody’, ‘Milka’, ‘Pixie Dark’, ‘Puff’,

Table 2: Weather Summary for 2003-2009

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Lowest temperature °F (°C) -5(-21) -9(-23) -2(-19) -8(-22) -10(-23) -6(-21) -17(-27)
Lowest temperature date 1/27 1/30 12/7 2/18 3/5 1/20 1/16
Highest temperature °F (°C) 98(37) 93(34) 100(38) 100(38) 96(35) 93(34) 96(35)
Highest temperature date 8/22 6/6 6/24 7/31 7/9 7/17 8/9
a
Number of growing season days 150 155 158 143 196 181 175
Number of days below 0°F (-18°C) 4 10 2 2 11 16 8
Number of days above 90°F (32°C) 15 5 24 15 20 6 7
Last frost date 5/4 5/3 5/4 5/7 4/16 4/30 4/18
First frost date 10/1 10/5 10/23 10/12 10/28 10/28 10/10
b
Annual rainfall in inches (cm) 31.7(80.5) 35.5(90.2) 24.4(61.9) 42.5(107.9) 41.0(104.1) 49.5(125.7) 38.8(95.5)
c
Annual snowfall in inches (cm) 15.6(39.6) 27.2(69.1) 44.4(112.7) 23.4(59.4) 38.5(97.8) 78.5(199.4) 28.8(75.2)

a
Normal growing season is 162 days
b
Average rainfall is 35.8 inches (90.9 cm)
c
Average snowfall is 38.1 inches (96.8 cm)
Data collected at Chicago Botanic Garden weather station
Latitude: 41°51’N. Longitude: 87°37’W. Altitude: 578.74 ft. (176.4m)
11 Plant Evaluation Notes

Mark Rudy
Doellingeria umbellatus

Richard Hawke
Summary
Our review of cultivated asters was the larg- S. novi-belgii ‘Rosenwichtel’, S. oblongifoli-
est trial undertaken at the Chicago Botanic um, S. oblongifolium ‘Raydon’s Favorite’, Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Blaubox’
Garden. Of the 116 unique taxa in the trial, and S. oblongifolium var. angustatus.
26 taxa received top ratings for strong hab-
its, flower production, disease resistance, Despite the popularity of New England and References
and winter survivability throughout a six- New York asters, they proved to be rife with Armitage, A.M. 2008. Herbaceous Perenni-
year evaluation term. Seven asters received cultural and health issues; therefore, few al Plants, Third Edition. Champaign, IL: Sti-
exceptional five-star excellent ratings for cultivars can be recommended without res- pes Publishing L.L.C.
their overall performance, including Aster ervations. In addition, New York asters
tataricus ‘Jindai’, Eurybia divaricata, E. di- tended to be short-lived perennials, with Gleason, M.L., M. Daughtrey, A.R. Chase,
varicata ‘Eastern Star’, Symphyotrichum only 18 of 62 taxa having one or more plants G.W. Moorman, and D.S. Mueller 2009.
ericoides ‘Snow Flurry’, S. lateriflorum, S. alive at the end of the trial. In the end, just Diseases of Herbaceous Perennials. St.
lateriflorum ‘Lady in Black’, and S. oblongi- four cultivars of New York aster and two Paul, MN: APS Press.
folium ‘Raydon’s Favorite’. Furthermore, 19 New England aster cultivars received good
asters received four-star good ratings for ratings. While the diversity of flower color Picton, P. 1999. The Gardener’s Guide to
their strong performances. and plant size is not as great, aromatic as- Growing Asters. Portland, OR: Timber
ters (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium) are Press.
Foliar diseases such as powdery mildew better alternatives to either of these com-
and rust are limiting factors to growing monly grown asters. Rice, G., editor-in-chief. 2006. American
asters well. Selecting disease-resistant Horticultural Society Encyclopedia of Peren-
plants is the gardener’s first defense against Copious flowers adorn asters in a stellar nials. New York, NY: DK Publishing, Inc.
these often debilitating and disfiguring show of late-season color, blending beauti-
pests. Despite varying degrees of suscepti- fully with other perennials and ornamental
bility to foliar diseases amongst the asters, grasses. The variety of plant habits and
The Plant Evaluation Program is supported by the
there were 26 taxa that demonstrated high flower colors makes it easy to find an aster Woman’s Board of the Chicago Horticultural Society
resistance to both powdery mildew and for almost any situation. Symphyotrichum and the Searle Research Endowment.
rust. While some asters in this group ericoides ‘Snow Flurry’ is good for rock gar-
were not overly strong performers, 17 of dens or grown on a low wall where the pros- Plant Evaluation Notes© are periodic publications
the 26 taxa received good or excellent rat- trate stems cascade downward. Bushy as- of the Chicago Botanic Garden.
ings including Aster amellus ‘Doktor Otto ters such as S. oblongifolium ‘Raydon’s
For more information or copies of back issues, contact
Petschek’, A. tataricus ‘Jindai’, Doellingeria Favorite’, S. lateriflorum ‘Lady in Black’, and
the Plant Evaluation Program, Chicago Botanic Garden,
umbellata, Eurybia divaricata, E. divaricata Aster tataricus ‘Jindai’ are excellent choices 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe, IL 60022
‘Eastern Star’, Symphyotrichum ‘Cape for perennial gardens or naturalistic land- or visit www.chicagobotanic.org/research/
Cod’, S. ‘Kylie’, S. ericoides ‘Snow Flurry’, scapes. With so many possibilities, select- plant_evaluation.
S. lateriflorum, S. lateriflorum ‘Lady in ing the best asters can be overwhelming,
Black’, S. lateriflorum ‘Lovely’, S. lateriflo- but any of the proven asters from the Gar- One of the treasures of the Forest Preserve District
rum var. horizontale, S. novi-belgii ‘Climax’, den’s trials are a good place to begin. of Cook County