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Fluffy green bushes of alpine perennial aster with charming flower baskets, as in the photo, delight with a variety of shades from early summer until autumn, and the ease of planting and care allows you to grow them even on rocky soils.
Cultivated back in the 16th century, the alpine aster is indispensable in landscape design - when decorating the base of hills, edging borders, and for enlivening compositions with other plants.
Characteristics of the flower
Alpine aster belongs to ground cover perennial plants that attract gardeners with excellent decorative qualities. Due to the horizontal growth of the roots, they form a bright grassy carpet that prevents the growth weed and protects the soil from drying out.
The erect, pubescent shoots of alpine aster grow from a horizontally branching root and end in a single inflorescence-basket at a height of approximately 5 to 40 cm. The diameter of the flower varies from 3 to 6 cm.The leaves are bright green and small in size. With sufficient light, the alpine perennial groundcover aster forms voluminous bushes that remain green even when buried under the snow.
The perennial alpine aster, as the photo shows, resembles a chamomile in appearance - in the center of the flower there is a fluffy yellow circle, from which delicate petals diverge radially. Perennial aster flowers enchant with their delicate, discreet beauty, which is set off by the rich green of their leaves.
The attractiveness of the alpine herbaceous aster for growing in gardens and summer cottages is explained by its qualities:
- long flowering period;
- simple rules of care;
- a variety of shades - from white to deep purple;
- the possibilities of combining perennial aster with other flowers.
Varieties
The Alpine aster genus of flowers is widespread in various regions of the Northern Hemisphere and has up to two and a half hundred different species, including annuals and perennials. But many species of semi-shrub asters grow only in the south of the African continent. Aster varieties Alpine varieties differ in terms of flowering, range of shades, and cup sizes. The most popular of them include the following.
White Alps
A variety of perennial alpine aster, attractive with compact green bushes crowned with caps of wonderful snow-white flowers. They look great in any composition.
Albus
It belongs to the varieties of white alpine aster - low, up to 15-20 cm, stems with white flower baskets, reminiscent of a chamomile, stand out against the background of lush green foliage.
Astra Blue
An alpine perennial with charming blue petals, inside of which a yellow circle stands out as a bright terry spot. The flowers are relatively large and reach a diameter of 8 cm, and the bushes grow up to half a meter, forming a lush carpet along the borders. The variety has a long flowering period.
Illyria
A variety of low-growing alpine aster with chamomile-shaped flower cups of various shades that look great on rocky hills. Belongs to winter-hardy varieties. When grown from seeds, the bushes bloom in the second year.
Alpine aster Pink
Considered one of the best perennials. It prefers sunny areas, but also blooms in semi-shaded places, throwing out pink inflorescences with a diameter of up to 4 cm. It is an early flowering variety - budding begins in May.
Alpine aster Blue
It belongs to low-growing perennials with large flowers - up to 6 cm in diameter. Their rich blue color casts a light violet, and the elongated leaves at the base of the roots form a lush green rosette.
Gloria
One of the best low-growing perennials is alpine aster with small blue flowers, up to 3 cm in diameter.
Goliath is distinguished by larger flowers of purple shades. Blooms all June.
Rosea
Herbaceous perennial alpine aster with small pink inflorescences. The bushes grow quickly and require frequent replanting and division.
Aster perennial mixture
Used to obtain mixed shades when decorating a variety of flower arrangements. It is distinguished by larger semi-double inflorescences of bright colors.
Features of cultivation
Alpine perennial aster is characterized as an extremely unpretentious herbaceous plant for open ground. However, to obtain long-lasting and massive flowering, it is advisable to provide it with favorable conditions:
- in good lighting, the alpine aster bushes will grow and take on lush, voluminous shapes;
- ensuring soil drainage increases the survival rate of plants;
- the period of mass flowering requires more abundant watering;
- some types of aster, especially tall ones, require systematic feeding;
- when autumn frosts occur, the bush is pruned to the root collar;
- when pruning alpine aster in spring, frozen branches are also removed;
- if part of the root system is exposed, the plant should be replanted or covered with earth;
- some rapidly degenerating types of asters need to be periodically planted, separating healthy parts;
- in the south and in the middle zone, plants overwinter without shelter; in more northern regions they are covered with spruce branches or dry moss.
Growing by seeds
In temperate climates, alpine aster seeds can be sown immediately in open ground in early April and covered with film. In a few weeks, sprouts will appear that can be transplanted into the flowerbed. At the end of summer, the first flowers will appear on the green bushes. And next year they will demonstrate massive abundant flowering. It is better to cut off the buds on young alpine aster bushes in the first year, as flowering will negatively affect their wintering and subsequent development.
Many gardeners sow alpine aster seeds in late autumn in slightly frozen soil. The seeds are poured into furrows and covered with soil, and in the spring green shoots appear from them.To prevent thickening of the plantings, already grown bushes are planted.
Seedling method
You can grow alpine perennial aster seedlings from seeds and at home, and then transplant them to a permanent place. In this case:
- timing of seed sowing postponed to the end of February or March;
- soil is prepared from garden soil mixed halfway with rotted manure, or a ready-made flower substrate is taken;
- substrate boxes must have drainage holes;
- alpine aster seeds should be buried in the soil no more than 1-1.5 cm or simply placed on the surface and sprinkled with a layer of loose soil;
- moisten moderately, making sure that a crust does not form on the surface of the soil;
- place containers with perennial aster plantings on southern windows to ensure good lighting;
- after the first shoots appear, the temperature in the room must be reduced to 16-18 degrees, otherwise the sprouts will stretch;
- aster diving is carried out with the appearance of 3-4 true leaves;
- you can grow perennial seedlings without picking if you plant aster seeds in separate cups;
- with the onset of warmth, the seedlings are gradually hardened;
- at the beginning of summer, you can transfer plantings to open ground, previously disinfected with a hot solution of potassium permanganate.
An interesting and unusual method of growing alpine aster is to sow the seeds in boiling water. It allows you to speed up the emergence of seedlings. Substrate prepared for planting aster seeds perennial, fill a plastic container with a transparent lid. Flower seeds are placed on the surface of the soil in several rows.Then pour boiling water over the soil with the ground cover aster crops, then cover the container with a lid and place it in a warm place. The delicate flower shoots hatch very quickly, after which the lid needs to be opened. The box is placed on the windowsill, and after 3-4 leaves appear, the seedlings are picked.
Propagation by cuttings
If, when propagating alpine perennial aster, it is necessary to preserve all parental characteristics, the best way is cuttings. This procedure is accessible even to novice gardeners if you follow simple recommendations:
- for cutting cuttings you need to choose healthy and strong specimens of alpine perennial;
- young shoots are cut into pieces so that each cutting has 3 leaves;
- the sections are treated with a stimulant - some gardeners advise using succinic acid for root development;
- cuttings of groundcover aster are planted in special soil prepared from a mixture of turf soil, peat and sand;
- in order to speed up the rooting of cuttings, they are covered with film;
- the soil is moistened moderately, avoiding drying out and excess water;
- Every day the plantings are ventilated by slightly opening the film;
- after 2-3 weeks, when the cuttings take root, the film can be removed.
At the end of summer or in September, established bushes of alpine perennial aster can be transplanted to their permanent place.
Dividing the bush
Many gardeners prefer to propagate the perennial alpine aster by dividing the bush, considering it the simplest and most effective.The operation can be performed throughout the season - from the beginning of summer until September. After the active growth of the plant begins, part of the bush is carefully separated along with the root and transplanted to a new location. Simultaneously with the transplantation, weak and dried shoots of the perennial aster are removed. The site for planting ground cover aster should not be chosen in a lowland area so that water does not stagnate on it, otherwise the roots of the flowers will begin to hurt and rot. Well-dug loams are considered the best option. Poor soils should be fertilized with organic matter and lime to increase calcium content. Useful predecessors for groundcover aster in the flowerbed are marigolds and marigolds.
Flower care
Although the perennial alpine aster can grow and bloom in one place for 5 to 7 years, the optimal period for rapid development and flowering is considered to be up to 3-4 years. After this, the flowering of the aster slowly declines. In order for an alpine perennial to show lush flowering for a long time, you must follow simple rules:
- The soil should not be allowed to dry out or become waterlogged - watering should be uniform and the water should be settled;
- regularly get rid of weeds, which take a significant part of the nutrients from the soil;
- remove already faded aster flowers;
- periodic loosening will provide the plants with the necessary drainage - it should be shallow so as not to damage the roots of the flowers;
- Hilling up bushes will help strengthen the root system of the grass aster;
- aster responds well to fertilizing, which is especially important during the period of plant growth and budding;
- In the spring, snow needs to be removed quickly from flower beds where perennial asters have overwintered so that water does not stagnate, which is detrimental to their roots.
Protection from diseases
Perennial alpine aster has good resistance to many diseases, however, unfavorable growing conditions can cause plants to be damaged by powdery mildew or fusarium. When the first signs of pathology appear, the affected parts of the plants must be removed and destroyed, and the perennial aster bushes must be treated with antifungal drugs or Bordeaux mixture.
Insect pests may also appear on plants - spider mites, caterpillars or slugs, and various means are also used to protect against them. Treating aster flowers with ash or soap solutions is effective. But the best disease prevention is to provide comfortable conditions for flower development.
Application in landscape design
The excellent decorative properties of the perennial alpine aster and the variety of colors make it indispensable in landscape design:
- when creating a background for alpine slides;
- colorful groups of perennial aster in rockeries;
- for edging borders and garden paths;
- for planting in flower beds in combination with other flowers;
- to create a bright living carpet of perennial aster on the site;
- plantings along the banks of garden ponds.
Alpine aster is a wonderful perennial that delights with its decorativeness, brightness, variety of colors and allows you to form flower beds of unique beauty.
