It is difficult to answer unequivocally to the question of what the flowers of aster look like, the Astrov family is so large. There are more than 40 species groups that differ in shape, splendor of inflorescences, bush height, leaf shape, flowering time. Asters are called small alpine meadow flowers resembling daisies, and chic Chinese callistefuses, which are easily confused with chrysanthemums.
Astra - what kind of garden flower is it, which family belongs to
The name culture got from the Latin word "aster". The consonant translations of the word "star" are in ancient Greek, pra-Indo-European languages.
Asters in the garden
Astra is a flower from the genus of herbaceous cultures of the family Asteraceae. Inflorescences-baskets are three types of flowers:
- transitional;
- tubular;
- reed.
Astra is often called an autumn rose. Duchess peony variety is distinguished by delicate shades, lush buds
In the world there are 600 types of flowers. Due to the species diversity, asters:
- grown as marketable flowers;
- used in landscaping for flower beds and alpine slides;
- balconies, loggias, open terraces adorn stunted bushes.
Asteraceous plants differ in terms of flowering, pleasing to the eye from spring to late autumn. There are annual and perennial species, many of them got their own names.
Brief description, history of origin or selection
China is considered the birthplace of the flower, from there in the XVIII century asters came to Europe. Some species of wild asters are found in Japan, Korea, Mongolia, and the Far East. Scientists of many European countries, America were engaged in selection. Varieties from France, Germany, Poland, Denmark, Sweden are known. Many domestic species were bred. Asters of the Voronezh breeding station are especially popular.
Asters are bush plants with a strong, hairy, erect stalk. The leaves of the aster are scapular in perennial species, serrated in annuals. They grow large below, small above. The root system of asters is fibrous.
Important! Astro roots quickly recover, the plant adapts well to new conditions, grows quickly. Astrochka can be transplanted at any age.
On a three-color aster, types of flowers are clearly distinguishable. A wrapper made of small leaves looks gorgeous
When asters bloom
The main thing is the aster inflorescence, in the description of the variety, two types of flowers are usually distinguished:
- tubular, similar to elongated narrow bells, they are located in the center of the basket, form seed boxes;
- reed grow outside of the inflorescence in one or more rows.
Reed petals give the flowers a unique shape, there are:
- narrow;
- twisted
- straight;
- bending over;
- intergrown;
- scapular;
- oval;
- needle-shaped.
Inflorescences vary in diameter:
- small from 1.5 to 4 cm;
- medium more than 4, less than 6 cm;
- large up to a decimeter;
- very large 17-19 cm.
In shape:
- flat with one or more rows of reed petals;
- flat-round slightly elevated in the center;
- hemispherical with a tubular center and reed edges;
- spherical, consisting of tubular or reed petals of various shapes (the wrapper is almost invisible).
Baskets grow:
- on the central stem (usually the largest);
- first-order shoots (coming from the trunk);
- second order (coming from first order shoots).
Important! Seeds are elongated wedge-shaped, small, maroon or yellow. Germination is maintained up to 3 years.
Classification of flowers with the names of popular varieties, what they look like
The name of the species of asters is usually associated with the shape and structure of the buds, what kind of flowers prevail.
By the way, the more tubular flowers in the inflorescence, the more seeds are obtained. The buds are cut in dry weather after the petals wilt. Drain in a ventilated, warm, dry room.
The annual pompom aster almost entirely consists of tubular flowers up to 2 cm long.
Annuals
Heat-loving aster garden botany is isolated in a separate annual species Callistephus chinensis. These are large inflorescences-baskets on a high stalk (single or branching in the upper part).
Perennial
Used to design plots, urban areas. Perennial shrub cold-resistant, greenery. The buds withstand frosts to -5 ° C, winter well, grow rapidly.
Popular varieties:
- Jenny's autumn mid-height aster with multi-row pink reed petals, a raised core from tubular buds;
- high late variety Lady in Blue, a variety of septemberins with baskets up to 4 cm in diameter;
- a cutaway view of Gremlin with acicular lush inflorescences;
- Anderson's variety resembles a pharmacy chamomile.
New Belgian bush perennial aster Maria Ballard is not inferior in beauty to annuals. Blooms for two months
Dwarf
Use for alpine lawns, design balconies. The smallest height of the Monpassier variety, only 15 cm. Pinocchio, Summer, Curb aster grows up to 25 cm. Slightly higher, up to 35 cm, the varieties Milady, Olympiad, Liliput, Scarlett, Triumph. Usually they sell mixtures of different colors from white to dark purple.
Important! Heather creeping species with shoots up to one meter are referred to undersized. A woolly-flowered panicle-shaped bud from afar looks plush.
Medium
Famous varieties of Harlequin are white, apricot, salmon, pink, blue color with hemispherical buds. For cutting, varieties Daria, Assol, Bride, Raspberry ball, Rita, Smile and others are grown. The view Excellent Rackley is appreciated for two or three colors on one bush.
Long
Meter stems of the white aster Symphony are crowned with spherical terry inflorescences with a diameter of up to 9 cm. Gala serotypes of various colors form a pyramidal bush up to 80 cm tall, densely terry buds reach 12 cm. Another selection species of Lady Coral. It varies in color from aster yellow to dark purple. The size of inflorescences is up to 17 cm.
The white aster is a universal cloud, forms a semi-spreading bush.
Pompoms
Differ in a large number of spherical inflorescences. Alena is a medium-sized variety of raspberry red. Late cultivar White ball-shaped columnar, universal. Erfur dwarf - undersized, border asters. Princesses Mix, Natasha, Anita are appreciated.
Needle
Reed narrow petals have the ability to curl. Alice mixture of early flowering, annual, bud diameter up to 11 cm. At the same time, up to 16 buds are revealed. Bunch variety Galaxy is characterized by massive flowering, forms up to 24 buds. White Unicum, Comme il faut, Snowflake.
In a needle-like aster, the petals are narrow, resembling long spikes. Hemispherical or spherical inflorescences
Pion-shaped
What the aster looks like is clear from the name. These are usually autumn late-flowering varieties with petals bent to the center. The peony-shaped variety Gray-haired lady is distinguished by a characteristic white color of the upper part of reed flowers. Yablunyova valued for its delicate color, terry. Famous types: Alexandria, Tower, Royal Peony, Mother's bouquet.
By color
In species diversity, all shades of the spectrum are found with the exception of black. Violet of various saturation is often found, less often salmon and orange.
Important! Red aster has many shades from purple to burgundy.
Terry
The terry annual aster is dense (forms a dense bud) and of medium terry - a loose inflorescence. Of the perennials, the summer terry variety of the Ballard series of blue (Maria) and pink (Sarah) shades is popular.
Flowering time
Usually picked up by the time when the asters bloom:
- early or spring buds are released at the end of May, in the beginning of July they fade;
- summer - flowering from early July to September;
- on late or autumn buds appear in September, remain until the snow.
Seed cultivation
Asters are sown in greenhouses or open ground in early spring or before winter. To obtain early flowering, seedling cultivation has been practiced at home since March. Below is a small phased landing instruction.
Landing capacity and soil
Seedlings are grown in shared crates filled with a mixture of peat or humus with 1: 3 turf soil.
Seed preparation and sowing
Before planting, the seed is treated with fungicides against root rot. Seeds are buried to a depth of 1 cm. Sprouts appear in 3-7 days.
The timing
The period of home planting of asters for the middle band is long: from the last days of February to the beginning of March. Autumn varieties are sown in greenhouses in April, covered with snow, covered with acrylic.
How to care for seedlings
Astra is not demanding for care, it is better to water it in the first weeks from the spray, so that the water does not stagnate. The temperature should not be lower than + 18 ° C. Once a month, foliar top dressing with urea is done (1 teaspoon of urea per 1 liter of water).
Important! If the plants stretch, they lighten up, increasing the daylight hours to 12-14 hours.
Landing
Seedlings are ready for planting when 5-7 leaves appear. Depending on the region and weather conditions, plants are transplanted from late May to mid-June.
By the way, young shoots are afraid of strong return frosts. After planting, the shoots are covered with cropped plastic bottles.
Replanting method
Permissible soil cultivation of cold-resistant asters, planting and care as in the seedling method.
How do asters breed
For perennial plants Astra vegetative and bush propagation is allowed.
Bush division
It is allowed to divide the bushes from the age of two. On the layer there should be a kidney with a root system (it is covered with a soil mixture of 3 cm), 3 or 5 shoots.
Cuttings
It is used to preserve a rare variety. Rooted cuttings up to 7 cm long are planted in water, planted in the ground.
Possible problems in growing
Subject to agricultural technology, plants rarely get sick.
Leaf problems
Fundariosis (wilting begins with foliage comes to the drying of the stem) is manifested on acidic soil, is treated by liming the soil.
Pests
Aphids are destroyed by insecticides, spider mites - by acaricides for greenhouse plants. Metaldehyde, ground red pepper is effective against slugs.
Disease
The aster is prone to root rot; the soil is laden with ash, Fitosporin. Brown rot, rust and leaf spot appear less frequently, are treated with fungicides Khom, Topaz.
Signs of improper care
Light-loving plants, buds are poorly tied in the shade. With an excess of nitrogen, leaves actively grow, buds are small. After budding, phosphorus-potassium fertilizing is needed.
Important! Asters are common decorative and cut flowers that are often found in suburban areas. They are planted on flower beds, alpine slides. Low-growing bush species are grown as indoor flowers, used to decorate open areas of the dwelling.
