Aster Flower Varieties

While planning a garden, most of us work on coordinating colors and shades of the flowers. A written rule that needs to be planned while designing a garden is that every flower and leaf should complement each other, and be harmonious in their essence.

A haphazard garden, although it still requires an effort will never bring out the best of your plants. This is not to say that one should only plan a garden in straight lines or follow a centric pattern. It could be just one grouping or a line, or even blooms planted in most unusual shapes, anything that takes your fancy.

As a garden is an extension of what you are, the colors you grow in them will speak of your wants and desires too. Asters make for pretty fall flowers.

With their varied shapes and vivid colors, these 'stars', as they are known, for their name comes from the Ancient Greek word astron, meaning a star because of their shape, adds that much wanted touch to your garden to beautify it.

The Aster flower family, Asteraceae, belongs to the genus of plants that includes over 600 species. Some of its amazing facts are:

• A single aster is actually a number of hundred, tiny, yellow flowers, surrounded by even more colorful petals.

• It comes in a variety of colors and shades; white, cream, red, pink, blue, purple, etc., and caring for it is not at all time-consuming.
• It is extensive, over 600 species and multiple numbers of hybrids and cultivars developed, and you will definitely be spoiled for choice.

Alpine: Botanically known as Aster alpinus, its color varies from pink, violet, to dark purple, lavender, or white that has its most active growth period in the spring and summer. This alpine is a perennial, and native to the United States of America. It can be propagated through seeds as well as division of roots.

Smooth Blue: It is pale blue to purple, and is botanically know as Symphyotrichum laeve. This moderate grower has a short life span as compared to most other plant species, and comes into full bloom by mid summer. Left alone, it can grow up to four feet high.

White Heath: It comes in the colors of white to pink, is showy, and bring plenty of bees and butterflies buzzing right into your gardens. Of all the species, white heath is cultivated for its economic and ornamental value. It has an extensive root system, and the plant grows to be quite bushy, which makes it an attractive option when it comes in full bloom.

New England: They are easy growers, as they can thrive in a wide variety of habitats and soil types. They do not like shade, as they need full sun for their colors to come true. Plenty of new cultivars have been developed under this species, that range from a deep purple or rose to sparkling whites.

Sea: It is also known as Aster tripolium, and is a perennial that can grow up to 50 cm in height. It bears some very dramatic, purple hues with bright, yellow centers, anywhere from July to October. It can be very easily propagated through seeds, and is quite nectar-laden. So, one can expect plenty of bees around them.

There are even more varieties of this beautifully-blooming plant. Choose your seeds and colors well, visualize, go ahead and enjoy the bloom!