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Aster, Frikart's

Herbaceous Perennial Flower

Aster x frikartii
Asteraceae Family

One of the most popular asters today, this hybrid combines the large flowers of Italian aster Aster amellus with the long bloom time (up to 8 weeks) of Himilayan aster Aster thomsonii. It produces mounded, bushy, 2- to 3-foot tall plants with dark green leaves and pale to dark blue-violet blooms with showy yellow-orange centers.

	Site and Plant Characteristics
	Growing Information
	Varieties

Site Characteristics

Sunlight:

full sun
part shade

Soil conditions:

tolerates droughty soil
requires well-drained soil

Hardiness zones:

5 to 8

May require winter protection and excellent drainage to overwinter in Zone 5.

Plant Traits

Lifecycle: perennial

Ease-of-care: easy

Height: 2 to 3 feet

Spread: 1 to 3 feet

Bloom time:

late summer
early fall
mid-fall

Flower color:

yellow
blue

Flowers are lavender blue with yellow centers.

Foliage color: dark green

Foliage tends to become sparse in summer, so plant near a foliage plant that will mask the bareness.

Foliage texture: medium

Shape:

cushion, mound or clump
spreading mass
upright
loose and formless

Forms a loose bushy mound.

Shape in flower: flower stalks with upright spikes

Flowers borne on stems rising above the foliage.

Special Considerations

Special characteristics:

non-aggressive
non-invasive
not native to North America - Horticultural hybrid from Italian and Himilayan asters, first grown in Switzerland.

Special uses:

cut flowers - The flowers are attractive but last only briefly when cut.

Growing Information

How to plant:

Propagate by cuttings, division or separation - Take cuttings in spring.
Divide plant about every 3 years in the spring.
Seed is available but flower flower color may be variable. Saved seed does not breed true.

Maintenance and care:

Has a long bloom period even without deadheading. Use care when deadheading as buds for new flowers are located close to the old blooms. Cutting back in May or June can improve growth habit but delays flowering.
To improve overwintering, wait until spring to cut back foliage. May need winter protection and good drainage to survive Zone 5 winters.
More growing information: How to Grow Perennials

Varieties

�Monch� is later flowering but produces large long-lasting lavender-blue flowers with yellow centers.
�Wonder of Stafa� flowers earlier and is taller than 'Monch' and has ligher-colored flowers.
�Jungfrau' has blue blooms with yellow centers.