The Spruce / Leticia Almeida
TheNew England aster(Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) is astandout fall flower.
They require full sun and acidic soil.
Read on for our care guide.
The Spruce / Letícia Almeida
That means their growing site should get at least six to eight hours of sunlight on most days.
Theyre even tolerant of clay soil.
Water
New England asters like moist soil.
The Spruce / Letícia Almeida
They can tolerate lower levels of soil moisture if the soil is not completely dry to the touch.
Water your plants well during periods with little to no rainfall.
Extremely hot weather can make the plants wilt, but they should come back once the temperature cools.
The Spruce / Letícia Almeida
Humidity generally isnt an issue, though ensure that your asters have good air circulation when planting them.
Poor airflow plus high humidity can be a breeding ground for diseases.
Fertilizer
Plan to fertilize your asters in the spring when new growth appears.
The Spruce / Letícia Almeida
For the amount to use, follow the product label instructions.
You also can enrich the soil with compost.
Types of New England Aster
Many New Englandaster varietieslook the same but have different flower colors.
The Spruce / Letícia Almeida
However, stop the pinching process by August, or you might accidentally take off some flower buds.
Cut the asters to the ground after they’re done flowering and the foliage dies in the fall.
To propagate from division, wait until the aster plant is at least three years old.
The Spruce / Letícia Almeida
This ensures a robust root system to easily divide without damaging the main plant.
The pot should have a drainage hole.
Cut back the plant after flowering and overwinter it in a cold frame or greenhouse.
Overwintering
To help asters thrive, water the ground well before the first freeze hits.
Common Plant Diseases
Asters are generally hardy flowers, but they can be susceptible topowdery mildew.
Check the undersides of leaves, as this is where it often first appears.
To treat powdery mildew, you could apply a fungicide formulated to treat the disease.
Prevention is key as well.
To avoid powdery mildew problems with your asters, check that there is good airflow among the plants.
Thin your asters bydividing them every few yearsin the early spring or fall.
Also, always water plants at their bases not from above.
Wet foliage encourages fungal diseases; fungi does not grow on dry foliage.
What Do New England Aster Flowers Look Like?
New England aster has profuse daisy-like blooms appear.
The flowers are typically 1.5-inch in diameter in a pinkish-purple color with yellow-orange centers.Pollinatorslove the blooms.
Finally, consider the fertilizer.
That nitrogen can lead to lovely foliage but no blooms.
Despite the name, this can happen to other plants as well.
Flowers might be very small or malformed.
The aster won’t produce any seed.
Check your soil and confirm your plant is receiving adequate water.
Any aster plantlooks lovely nestled among low-growing ferns.Rudbeckia(black-eyed Susan) also makes an impressive show alongside asters.
University of Minnesota Extension Office.
