About this time of year, summer’s array of flower color begins to fade. Not to worry though, when the brisk air and bright sunshine of fall arrives, chrysanthemums step up to provide brilliant color in the face of summer’s fading glory.
Who can resist the bright mounds of yellows, burgundies, whites, pinks and rust colors that mums provide? But, even though mums get all the glory, there is another fall flower that is often overlooked. Asters are just as much a part of fall as chrysanthemums are even though they usually take a back seat to its first cousin.
Actually, all mums are asters but not all asters are mums. Chrysanthemums include over 200 species of the aster family. By contrast, there are more than 175 varieties of asters in the Unites States and they are not as heavily hybridized as mums.
Mums have always been my favorite flower, hands down. However, they are a little persnickety when it comes to them surviving more than one season. Being perennials, they are supposed to return year after year, especially those that are advertised as hardy mums.
Technically, they are perennials and are hardy mums, but really, they are not. Are you confused yet? Those billed as hardy mums don’t usually come back the following year because they are forced into bloom and expend so much energy with all those flowers that they can’t establish roots.
Thus, mums are considered both annuals and perennials…sort of. The key to getting them to return year after year is when you plant them. Many folks use potted mums as fall decorations and then plant them in October when they are done with fall flowers. This is usually too late for them to establish their root systems before winter sets in.
Mums have a better chance of returning the next season if they are planted in early spring or summer. However, the trick here is being able to find them in the spring. The next best thing is to get them in the ground as soon as they arrive on stands in September.
Asters are the other fall flower and are hardier than mums and are not as finicky. Most folks go for the mums because they have the color tones of autumn and compliment harvest displays. Asters are daisy-like perennials with starry shaped flowers that come in hues of blue, purple, pink and white. The good news is that you don’t have to choose between them, when planted together, mums and asters complement each other for a full color display.
Most asters are derived from North American native perennials. They bloom from late summer into fall. Depending on your preference and where you want them in the garden, you can choose varieties that grow between one and four feet high. The taller species often require staking.
Asters are happiest in moist, well-drained soil and established plants need little to no fertilization. They like cool, moist summers, especially when it is cool at night. In warmer climates, they like to avoid the hot, mid-day sun. Late-season nectar feeders who haven’t migrated or are just passing through love asters for their nectar.
One of the biggest contrasts between mums and asters is their growth habits. One of the show-stopping qualities of mums is their large, flower-filled mounds. The flowers are so compacted that they make a great focal point in any landscape. Asters, on the other hand, do not have this manicured look, but rather they are the wild child. Asters’ blooms are haphazard and tend to fall every which way.
Mums and asters also differ in how you pinch them back. “Pinching back” simply means to prune the plant lightly. Everywhere you prune, new growth will emerge, making the plant fuller. Start in early spring when the plants are only roughly six inches tall. Cut it back by half. Repeat this process two to three times, making the last cut around July 15.
Asters do not need to be pinched back but, by doing so, it will extend the blooming season by several weeks. Like mums, pinching will give you a fuller plant and keep them from growing so spindly. Mums require continual pinching for their manicured look whereas asters can suffice with only a couple pinchings.
Although there are quite a few aster varieties, there are two main species, the New York aster and the New England aster. New York asters come in colors from bright pink to bluish purple and the blooms can be double, semi-double or single. The New England variety are larger and their colors tend to be deeper, from magenta to deep purple.
Other popular kinds include the Blue Wood aster which has small blue to white flowers while Heather asters are like a low-growing ground cover with small white flowers, similar to creeping phlox. Smooth asters grow tall and upright and produce small lavender flowers. The Frikartii Monch aster is one of the earliest blooming ones, blooming from June through September. There are also wild varieties as well which are not as flashy as the cultivated ones but are still ecologically good choices.
Asters can be grown from seed, but the germination will be uneven. They can be started indoors in winter, sown in pots and kept in the fridge for four to six weeks to stimulate winter dormancy. They need this period of colder weather to kickstart germination. One of the main things to keep asters vigorous is to divide them every two to three years.
Although asters are hardier than mums, they are often overlooked, simply because they don’t have as broad of range of color. This downfall can easily be rectified by planting both together for a full color display. You get the best of both worlds!
For a unique color display, think planting in combination. They look great planted alongside coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, daisies and daylilies.
Asters love full sun, attract butterflies and bees, are deer-resistant (hallelujah!!!) and require little care. Nope, can’t think of a good reason not to include the “other” fall flower in my garden. Move over mums and make room for another fall friend!
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