Aster


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Aster L.

Asteraceae (Astereae tribe)


	Aster ericoides 'Monte Casino': stem

Alternate trade names

monte casino, novi-belgii, michaelmas daisy

Common names

michaelmas daisy, September flower

Species cultivated

Most commonly cultivated

Aster ericoides L. (a popular cultivar is 'Monte Casino')

the hybrids, based on various species, consist of many cultivars such as the hybrid series Universum, Master, Sun, and others

Other species

A. novi-belgii L. (New York aster)

A. novae-angliae L. (New England aster)

Less commonly cultivated

A. cordifolius L.

A. tataricus L. f.

Origin

North America, mostly U.S.

Brief characterization

Alternate, simple, entire, lanceolate leaves; panicles bearing flowers (florets) in numerous radiate heads; heads subtended by involucre of several series of imbricate phyllaries; ray florets in 1-2 rows (in wild plants), carpellate; disc florets short-lobed; pappus of barbed capillary bristles.

Cultivar and/or species variation

Leaves broadly lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, sometimes auriculate (Aster novae-angliae and A. novi-belgii), and sometimes distally dentate (A. novi-belgii); stem leaves sometimes reduced, linear, bract-like; panicles loose to crowded, sometimes corymb-like; ray florets mostly in whites, pinks, and purples; disc florets usually yellow. In general, A. novae-angliae and A. novi-belgii have larger heads (to 5 cm and 8 cm across, respectively), than A. ericoides (ca. 1.5 cm across); heads of the hybrids are small to medium – the same as or larger than those of A. ericoides but smaller than A. novae-angliae and A. novi-belgii heads. Heads are mostly single, but cultivars of A. novi-belgii also include semi double and fully double heads. A few other species differences: overall, A. novae-angliae is hairy, A. novi-belgii is hairless; phyllaries in A. ericoides are mucronulate and have coarsely ciliate margins, those of A. novi-belgii are acute.

May be confused with

Callistephus, Dendranthema, X Solidaster

Although Callistephus is commonly called Aster in the floral trade, Callistephus is an annual and is separate from Aster, which is perennial. Also, the phyllaries are all similar in Aster, whereas in Callistephus they differ.

Countries exporting

Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, Zimbabwe.