Symphyotrichum novi-belgii
New York aster
Common names: Michaelmas daisy
At a glance
- Light
- Full sun
- Pot size
- from 20 l
- Lifespan
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Hardy down to −25 °C
- Water need
- Medium
Photo: Benoit Renaud · CC BY 4.0 · Source
Description
The New York aster is the great late bloomer of the garden year. When most of the garden has faded in September and October, it covers itself with a sea of violet, pink and white star-shaped flowers. For bees and butterflies it is one of the last and most important nectar sources before winter. In farmers' gardens it traditionally belongs to border plants.
Care instructions
Plant the New York aster in fertile, evenly moist soil in a sunny spot and water from below during dry periods, because the aster otherwise tends to powdery mildew. Cut the stems back by one third at the end of May (week 22) once, which makes it bushier and more sturdy. Split dense clumps every two to three years in spring, which keeps it vital and blooming.
The care notes were machine-translated from German.
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
loamy, humus-rich, moist, nutrient-rich, well-drained
Plant the New York aster in nutrient-rich, evenly fresh to moist, but well-drained soil. It does not tolerate waterlogging. Loamy, humus-rich soils are ideal; on sandy soil, work in some mature compost when planting to improve water retention.
Feeding
Medium feeder
Months
Mar, Apr, Jun
In spring (March/April), work mature compost shallowly around the rootstock; on well-supplied soils this is enough as the main dressing. On poor sites you can additionally scatter horn shavings in early summer (June) and rake them in lightly. Stay moderate: too much nitrogen makes the shoots soft and promotes mildew.
Overwintering
The New York aster is a fully hardy perennial and comes through the Central European lowland winter without trouble outdoors. Leave the stems standing after flowering, as they protect the roots, and cut back close to the ground only in early spring; if you cut back already in autumn, cover the root zone with brushwood or leaves.
Propagation
Methods
- Division
- Cuttings
- From seed
The simplest and most reliable method is division every 2 to 3 years in early spring, as soon as the first shoots appear but there are no buds yet. Lift the root ball, divide it with two digging forks or a spade into pieces that each carry 3 to 5 strong shoots, and replant the vigorous outer sections. Compost the old centre, which is usually woody and flowers less well.
For cuttings, in spring cut shoot tips 8 to 12 cm long, remove the leaves in the lower third and insert them in moist seed compost. A plastic bag as a cover keeps the humidity high; after 3 to 4 weeks the cuttings have rooted.
Sowing is possible: sow freshly harvested seed straight after flowering in autumn into the open ground, or in spring at about 15 °C in a seedbed (germination time approx. 2 weeks). Note: the characteristics of a variety (colour, height) are not passed on true in cultivated forms and hybrids, so vegetative propagation by division or cuttings is preferable for named varieties.
Companion planting
Companion planting is partly traditional gardening lore. Where the reason is known, it is given.
Some of these explanations were machine-translated.
For your garden
Grow New York aster yourself
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