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The annual aster is one of the most popular garden flowers. With great success in Russian latitudes, the plant is used for landscape design in various stylistic directions. In the days of the former Soviet Union, on the first school day of classes on September 1, ceremonially dressed students went to school with bright and variegated bouquets of asters. The variety of colors, varieties and types of this culture is really impressive.
A riot of colors of annual asters allows you to create impressive landscape areas
General description of the annual aster
Asters are annual flowers of over 200 different species, with the following general characteristics:
- plant height 30-100 cm;
- fibrous root system;
- erect, branched stems of green color with short hairs (sometimes with a reddish tint);
- the number of leaves on the stem - 10-15 pieces;
- oval-rhomboid, lanceolate, petiolate, slightly pubescent leaves of green or dark green color;
- inflorescences in the form of baskets;
- tongue-shaped petals at the edges of the inflorescences;
- petals in the form of small tubes in the middle of the inflorescences;
- flower diameter from 3 to 18 cm (depending on the variety).
In China (the original habitat of the plant), the aster is compared to a star. In the Celestial Empire, this representative of the flora world is associated with elegance and beauty, a priceless gift from heaven.
Astra - "a star living on earth"
Classification of varieties of annual asters
Classic annual asters are the decoration of any flower bed. Currently, there are more than 40 groups of annuals Callistephus chinensis, varieties (more than 4000 different names) of which are divided into the following main categories:
- inflorescence size: large and medium;
- by height and size of the bush: dwarf (up to 25 cm - Monpassier, Olympiada, Bordernaya, Pinocchio), undersized (up to 30-35 cm - Triumph, Lilliputian, Scarlett, Milady), medium-sized (up to 50-60 cm - Pompom Princess, Laplata , Comet, Needle, Victoria), high (up to 80-85 cm Blue hoarfrost, Artistic, Pink, Peony), giant (up to 100 cm Pink king, Cutting, Royal);
- by the shape of the bush: pyramidal, oval, columnar, wide dense, wide spreading;
- by the structure of the bush: strongly branched, spreading, weakly branched, compact;
- inflorescence size: small (up to 4 cm in diameter), medium (up to 9-11 cm), large (up to 9-12 cm), giant (over 12 cm);
- inflorescence shape: spherical, hemispherical, flat-round, flat;
- by the texture of the inflorescence: densely double, terry, semi-double and non-double;
- by the structure of the flower: simple, transitional, tubular, ligulate, coronal, curly, spherical, hemispherical, acicular, tiled, pompom, peony, rosaceous, "ostrich feather";
- in terms of flowering: early (from the first decade of July - Odarka, Ruby stars, Carmen), medium (in the second decade of August - Samantha, Cloud), late (at the end of August or the first decade of September - Violetta, Anastasia, Venus);
- by color spectrum: one-color (except for orange and green), multi-colored (Gray lady, Rainbow, Turm);
- for the intended purpose: cut-off (tall with large inflorescences), casing (low and medium-sized, for the formation of borders and casing flower beds), universal.
More than 4 thousand varieties and varieties of annual asters are known
Types of annual asters
Amateur flower growers have different taste preferences regarding the choice of plants. The annual bush aster is classified into the following varieties:
- tubular;
- reed;
- transitional.
Tubular group
Tubular annual asters cannot but admire the uniqueness of each type of inflorescence:
- feathery - semi-double plants, with a flower diameter of up to 7 cm, with long petals along the edge of the inflorescence (Oktoberfest, Rose-Marie, Rosette);
Tubular feathery annual asters - simplicity and grace in every inflorescence
- midget - terry asters, up to 4 cm in diameter (Summer, Montpensier, Pinocchio);
Terry annual asters midget will decorate the flowerbed with bright wavy patterns
- tubular - chrysanthemum type with petals in the form of neatly rolled tubes (Shokoladnitsa, Memory).
On one bush of tubular asters "Memory" bloom up to 12 magnificent inflorescences, up to 10 cm in diameter
Lingual group
The lingual group of annuals is the most extensive and is subdivided into the following types:
- curly - Terry, with a tubular center, with reed and curled petals along the edges (Early Miracle, California Giant, Ostrich feather);
"Californian gigantic" from the reed group of curly asters every summer pleases with a variety of magnificent shades
- hemispherical - with curved inward, scaphoid, wide petals (Duchess, Schenheit, Triumph);
Hemispherical aster "Duchesse" from the language group is distinguished by the widest range of color solutions
- beam - terry asters, with narrow petals rolled along the entire length (Artistic, Unicum, Radio);
The "Khudozhestvennaya" ray aster from the reed group amazes the imagination with the beauty and modesty of pastel shades
- needle-like - with accrete lingual petals resembling needles or cat's claws (Krallen, Valkyrie, Radiant);
The beauty and grace of the Valkyrie Brunhilda acicular annual reed aster sparkles in every tightly rolled petal of the plant
- sphericalf - terry with wide, short tongue petals (Milady, Old Castle, Dragon);
Spherical reed aster "Dragon" from Chinese breeders - the top of perfect nobility
- tiled - with wide, short reed petals, shaped like a properly laid tile (Royal, Dwarf, Victoria).
Reed annual asters are magnificent natural creations that delight with a riot of shapes and colors
Transition group
The transitional (mixed) group of annuals is represented by several main species:
- coronal - Terry asters with tube-shaped petals in the center and tongue-shaped edge petals (Ambria, Laplata, Aurora);
Crown aster "Aurora" from the transitional group will decorate any flower garden
- simple - non-double, with two-row petals and a yellow core (Edelweiss, Margarita, Sonnenkugel);
One-year simple asters "Margarita Bogatyreva" from the group of transitional almost all summer pleases with exuberant flowering
- semi-double - with a yellow center (Anmut, Victoria Baum, Madeleine).
Transitional group of annual asters - mysterious and mysterious creations of nature
Annual aster varieties
The variety of aster varieties is the result of many years of work by professional breeders. The color palette of representatives of the flora world ranges from white to almost black tones of red, blue and purple. One-year-old asters differ not only in color intensity, but also in size, shape of inflorescences, structure of petals, and timing of flowering. Various varieties of annual asters in the photo allow you to visually appreciate all the splendor and variety of natural colors and shapes.
The best varieties of annual asters
Chinese annual asters are considered the best in their category, there are more than 600 different subspecies and varieties, among which the following are mega-popular:
- Peony "Red Tower" differs in large inflorescences up to 10 cm in diameter. Plants look amazing in bouquets, as the height of the bushes reaches 70 cm.
The rich carmine coloring of the peony aster "Red Tower" will help to make a bright accent on any part of the flower bed
- Pompom "Winter cherry" produces up to 25 inflorescences, up to 9 cm in diameter and exhibits exceptionally lush flowering. The variety is in demand both for cutting and for group, tape, pot plantings in landscape design.
Two rows of ruby-red petals of "Winter Cherry" turn into a pale pink center with a yellow center, causing associations of snow flakes on cherry berries, flat-rounded flowers belong to the category of dense double
- "Princess Rita" characterized by rounded-flat inflorescences up to 10 cm in diameter. The plant reaches a height of up to 80 cm, therefore it is ideal for cutting, planting in rows and groups in flower beds, flower beds and flower beds.
The pink-silver color of "Princess Rita" has a characteristic creamy shade and an invariably yellow core
- Pink Lady Coral reaches a height of 70 cm, therefore it is not only a decorative decoration for flower beds, but also used to create bouquets. Inflorescences up to 12 cm in diameter belong to the group of dense double, pink-shaped.
The luxurious salmon-pink color of the inflorescences "Lady Coral" amazes with delicate, rose-shaped petals
- Needle aster "Unicum" - a unique flower, the height of which reaches 70 cm, therefore it is used for cutting and for landscape design. Pyramidal bushes can have up to 30 inflorescences up to 15 cm in diameter.
The color range of the needle variety "Unicum" is extensive: coral, pink, red, yellow, white, purple
Shrub varieties of annual asters
Shrub annuals are characterized by a smaller diameter of inflorescences (about 5 cm), a sufficient bush height (up to 70 cm). Plants are unpretentious and resistant to diseases. They are distinguished by lush flowering from the last decade of July to September. Among the popular bush varieties of one-year-old asters are:
- Variety "Bon Pari" - bush, of various colors and shades (with dense and strong peduncles, up to 60 cm in height, flower diameter up to 5 cm).
Bush aster "Bon Pari" is distinguished by a wide range of flowers and many inflorescences on one plant
- Variety "Matsumoto" - cut, with semi-double inflorescences, various color combinations (white, blue, white-pink, pink, yellow, red, apricot), up to 70 cm high, up to 5 cm in diameter.
Shrub aster "Matsumoto Scarlett" from Chinese breeders pleases the eye with a rich scarlet color of each petal
- Variety "Duchess" differs in large inflorescences, ideal for decorating flower beds, borders.
New in 2019 - variety "Allure" with scarlet reed-type inflorescences
The latest varieties of annual asters
For 2019, the State Register of Breeding Achievements of Russia was replenished with the following newest varieties of annual asters:
- Variety "Allure" belongs to the variety Artistic, characterized by an average flowering period (up to 30 days). The plant is up to 60 cm high, columnar, medium-leafy. Inflorescences up to 10 cm in diameter are reed, terry, flat-round, medium density. Their color is bright red, the tubular core is light yellow with a green tint.
New in 2019 - variety "Allure" with scarlet reed-type inflorescences
- Variety "Nostalgia" The Radio variety is characterized by a height of up to 90 cm, an average flowering period. Bright red inflorescence up to 10 cm in diameter. The plant is intended for cutting and landscaping areas.
The newest variety "Nostalgia" (2019) is marked with a decorative score of 99
- Variety "Night" belongs to the type Radio. The versatile plant is characterized by an average flowering period of up to 65 days. The height of the bush is up to 50 cm. Inflorescences up to 8 cm in diameter are hemispherical, double, medium density, dark purple in color.
The latest novelty "Night" (2019) is a specially bred variety for creating harmonious bouquets and compositions
Varieties of annual reed asters
Reed asters-annuals are characterized by a particularly memorable, luxurious flowering. The structure of the inflorescences is acicular, hemispherical, spherical, tiled, curly. The most popular among florists are the following varieties of reed asters:
- Curly "Ostrich Feather" - the best annual variety with large inflorescences for decorative cut into bouquets. Bush height up to 60 cm, up to 15 inflorescences per plant. Buds of various colors with curly petals.
Inflorescences of annual reed asters "Ostrich feather" can reach 13 cm in diameter
- Curly "California gigantic" - a cut-off, beautiful annual flower with flat-round, not drooping, double inflorescences with wide, tapered, petals bent at the ends. Bush height up to 80 cm, up to 20 inflorescences per plant.
Fabulously beautiful inflorescences of the "Californian gigantic" reach 15 cm in diameter, ribbon petals resemble curled curls and completely cover the central part of the flower
- Needle "Novelty" - an improved variety of annual asters with double inflorescences. The height of the bush is up to 50 cm.
Graceful needle-shaped tongue petals of an amazing smoky blue shade reach 12 cm in diameter
Varieties of tubular annual asters
Tubular annual asters are characterized by the presence of exclusively tubular petals, which form the main visual decorative effect. The most popular varieties:
- Oktoberfest - a plant up to 100 cm high, with pale blue semi-double inflorescences. The flowering period is August-November.
Small blue inflorescences of tubular annual Oktoberfest asters reach a diameter of 3.5 cm
- "Patricia Ballard" - a graceful annual plant up to 100 cm high with pink peduncles, which is characterized by a pronounced yellow center. The flowering period is the beginning of autumn.
Refined pink inflorescences of tubular annual asters "Patricia Ballard" with a diameter of up to 3 mm delight with wild flowering almost before the onset of frost
- Sam Banham - tall plants, 140 cm in size, bloom in the second decade of September and delight the eye with snow-white buds for more than 35 days.
The diameter of the white inflorescences of tubular annual asters "Sam Banham" reaches 3.5 cm
Planting and caring for annual asters
Planting annual asters is carried out in two ways: preparing seedlings from seeds and sowing seeds in open ground. Both methods are successfully used by growers in regions with different climatic conditions. Growing asters from seedlings is a more laborious method, but the plants will delight with flowering several weeks earlier than when sowing seeds in open ground.
Growing an annual aster from seeds in a seedling way
In prepared containers with soil, seeds are sown in grooves up to 1 cm deep and covered with plastic wrap to create a greenhouse effect. After the first shoots appear, the plants are placed in a place with sufficient lighting.
Seedlings of asters are fertilized weekly with complex preparations. When planting seedlings in the ground in May, the seedlings are carefully separated from each other. By this time, the seedlings are characterized by strong stems up to 10 cm high and 2-3 leaves. Transfer of seedlings to the ground is carried out in the evening in prepared and fertilized soil. To do this, you can use dolomite flour, wood ash, humus and compost. The step (distance) between seedlings is up to 30 cm.
The planted seedlings are watered abundantly, then the planting site is sprinkled with dry earth
Sowing seeds of an annual aster directly into the ground
Since the annual aster is a herb for open ground, the place for sowing the seeds of the annual aster is chosen in the fall. These should be well-lit areas, slightly alkaline or neutral soils. The beds are dug up in the fall with the addition of compost or humus at the rate of 4 kg per 1 m², potassium salt, ammonium sulfate and superphosphate. Sowing works are carried out in May when the weather is stable.
The seeds are sown into grooves 0.5-1 cm deep, after which they are sprinkled with earth. The sowing site is watered with water or a weak solution of potassium permanganate (0.5-1%), mulched with peat or specially agrofilm.
When two leaves appear, young plants are thinned out, leaving healthy and strong shoots at a distance of about 20 cm from each other
Growing an annual aster outdoors
Planting and caring for annual asters is not difficult, since the plant is unpretentious and fully adapted for cultivation in Russian latitudes. Growing asters-annuals in the open field is reduced to complete universal care: watering, loosening the soil, feeding, preventing and treating diseases, and pest control.
Asters are moisture-loving plants that need sufficient watering at the rate of up to 30 liters per 1m². Experienced flower growers combine regular watering and loosening.
During the growing season, the plants are fed several times:
- on the 15th day after rooting of seedlings and reaching a stem height of up to 15 cm, it is necessary to apply complex fertilizer;
- during the formation of buds, complex and nitrogen-containing fertilizers, ammonium nitrate should be reintroduced;
- during the flowering period, fertilize the soil with wood ash, mixtures with potassium (without chlorine) and phosphorus.
For annual asters, periodic watering of plants with a weak solution of potassium permanganate (0.5-1%) is shown
How to collect annual aster seeds
Independently, aster seeds are harvested after the final wilting, drying and darkening of the inflorescences. The fluff in the center of the flower is removed and stored in paper containers. In order not to lose the distinctive features of the variety, you should buy seeds in specialized stores.
Experienced growers recommend harvesting seeds in dry weather.
Pests and diseases
Most often, annual asters are susceptible to infection by carriers of diseases such as fusarium, jaundice, gray leg, rust:
- Fusarium affects the plant in the phase of flower formation. Leaves curl, turn yellow, bud heads wither and droop. Infected plants must be destroyed. With the timely detection of the disease, the surviving seedlings can be treated with a solution of "Fundazolom".
The causative agent of Fusarium is the Fusarium mushroom, the thick-walled spores of which are found in the soil
- Gray leg - fungal disease. Fungal spores colonize the root system of the aster, clog the stems, as a result of which the plant withers, turns yellow, and the root dries up and turns black. As preventive measures, you can use soil disinfection before sowing seeds or planting seedlings, early picking of seedlings, complete and timely destruction of diseased plants.
Fungi pathogens of the gray leg are present in any soil, capable of infecting the ground and underground parts of asters
- Rust characterized by the appearance of swelling on the lower part of the leaf, as a result of which the aster withers and dries up. To cure the plant, it is necessary to process (spray) the infected asters with a 1% solution of Bordeaux liquid or a mixture of lime and ground sulfur for 10 days.
To prevent rust infestation of asters, plants must be planted away from pine trees.
- Jaundice - a viral disease that is carried by cicadas and aphids. The leaves on the asters brighten, the growth of the plant slows down, the flowers acquire a characteristic green color. To combat jaundice, a set of measures for the destruction of vectors is being implemented.
Plants affected by jaundice are subject to complete destruction.
- Seprioz, or "Brown" spotting, manifests itself in humid and especially hot weather at the stage of inflorescence formation. Light brown spots appear at the bottom of the plant, which will spread to the entire bush. To combat the disease, asters are treated 2-3 times with Bordeaux mixture or copper oxychloride with a 2-week break.
Sepriosis eventually affects the entire bush, which affects the attractive appearance of the plant.
- Bacterial spot manifests itself in brown and yellow spots, up to 2 cm in size on the leaves. When the first signs of a disease are detected for plants, a dry habitat should be provided, the soil should be treated with a 1% solution of potassium permanganate, copper sulfate.
With bacterial spotting, asters are treated 3-4 times in a row, the course of treatment is repeated after 21 days
In addition, insects such as aphids, arable slugs, spider mites, and meadow bugs can harm asters. If pests are found, the flowers are treated with Metaldehyde, Fundazol, Fosfomycin, Karbofos:
- Aphid feeds on plant sap, so the shoots and stems are deformed, the leaves and inflorescences are twisted and secured. Aphids breed in dry and hot weather. Experienced florists recommend treating infected plants with soapy water, infusion of garlic, onion, wormwood, decoction of tomato tops, and Inta-Vir.
Huge colonies of pests can be found on infected asters
- Plowed slug eats foliage and inflorescences, multiplies rapidly in a humid and warm environment. When pests are found, visible individuals are harvested by hand, asters are sprayed with a solution of "Metaldehyde", a week later - with "Superphosphate".
The length of the gastropod mollusk of arable slug reaches 5 cm
- Spider mite attacks plants in hot weather. A brown web appears on the lower part of the leaves, after a while they dry out and wither. As a treatment, an infusion of onion husks, garlic, dandelion, yarrow, and potato tops is used. Spraying is carried out 2-3 times every 5 days.
You can get rid of a spider mite on a one-year-old aster with an insecticidal preparation "Skor" or a mixture of sulfur and lime
- Meadow bug feeds on the juice of buds, leaves, stems. The puncture site of the meadow bug dries up, the flowers take on an ugly appearance. For the treatment of asters, they are treated with soapy water and insecticides.
The meadow bug is characterized by a dark brown or greenish-yellow color of the abdomen
- Sunflower moth Is a small butterfly whose caterpillars eat different parts of plants in a short period of time. To combat the pest, insecticides, tobacco infusion are used.
Sunflower moth is a small butterfly with inconspicuous gray wings
- Caterpillars of a butterfly scoop-gamma eat the stems, leaves and inflorescences of asters. The caterpillars are harvested by hand, the plants are sprayed with soapy water or green soap, and treated with insecticides.
The length of the butterfly scoop-gamma reaches 5 cm
- Thrips provoke curvature of the stems. Aster leaves affected by thrips dry up, the buds fall off. To get rid of insects, damaged plants are treated with Fitoverm.
The sucking mouth organs of thrips are sharp, several pairs of legs have characteristic teeth at the ends
- European earwig nibbles moldings, stems, aster inflorescences. To combat insects, a solution of potassium permanganate, insecticides are used.
European earwig is nocturnal, avoids sunlight
To prevent diseases and prevent the appearance of pests, you should follow the simple rules for caring for annual asters:
- regularly dig up the ground for asters in the fall;
- in late autumn, after harvesting dry plants, it is necessary to completely burn off faded flowers;
- fertilize the soil regularly with complex mixtures.
If you ensure the timely implementation of measures to combat diseases and pests, you can grow flawlessly beautiful annual asters - real stars that live on earth.
Conclusion
Annual aster is a delightful natural creature that impresses with a variety of color palette, shapes and sizes of inflorescences. Thanks to the various parameters of the bushes, you can create unique landscape areas and arrange bouquets that are amazing in terms of design.
