Content
Pompon aster is one of the types of garden asters. According to the new classification of plants, they are assigned to the genus Callistephus of the Asteraceae family. The correct name is “Callistephus chinensis”. This crop is annual or biennial, grows in Eurasian countries, and originally appeared in China. More than two hundred varieties of such asters, bred before the beginning of 2018, differ from each other in the height of the bushes, the structure and shape of the flowers, as well as the rainbow color of the petals. The pompom aster can be identified by its uniquely formed flower - it is a hemisphere of densely growing petals collected in a rosette, resembling a pom-pom of a child's hat.
Description
All plants are made up of the same parts: roots, stems, leaves, flowers and fruits. A botanical description of flowers allows you to find out what distinctive shapes, sizes and colors characterize each part of the crop. Pompom aster also has its own varietal characteristics:
- The roots of the pompom aster are widely branched, fibrous, superficial, with a depth of no more than 25 cm, and can quickly recover from damage.
- The stems are erect, strong, have longitudinal grooves, covered with thin small hairs, their color is light green or with a pink tint (depending on the variety). The height of the plant varies from 20 to 90 cm; many shoots are formed on the stem, which is why the bush becomes thick and lush.
- The leaves of the pompom aster are dark green, rich in color; small leaves are located in the upper part of the stem, large ones are closer to the ground.
- Flowers are basket inflorescences, along the outer circle of which there are reed-shaped petals arranged in several tiers; the inner circle is filled with thin tube petals that stand straight, tightly pressed to each other. The color of flowers is determined by the variety; in some cases, mixes of the same variety are created, but in a wide variety of colors. Their diameter is from 4 to 8 centimeters.
- The fruit of the pompom aster is a cone-shaped seed capsule that stores seeds of different sizes, it depends on the variety of aster.
- The crop reproduces, like all annual plants, only by seeds.
In the fall, the seed pods open, the seeds fall into the ground, overwinter well and germinate again in the spring. In this case, the pompom aster blooms early; you only need to thin out the bushes occasionally.
Varieties
If the rose is called the queen of the garden, then the pompom aster is a little princess who loves to dress up in a wide variety of “dresses.” The coloring of her clothes resembles a rainbow palette, including many shades of primary colors.We offer you photos and descriptions of some varieties of pompom aster.
"Winter cherry"
Coloring - the outer petals-tubes of the pompom aster are colored light burgundy, in the center they are snow-white. The petals grow densely, each of them opens in the form of five-lobed bells, which makes the flower cap seem even more magnificent.
The height of the compact aster bush reaches 60 cm; many flower stalks are formed on straight, slightly leafy stems. About 25 ovaries are formed during the season; for their continuous formation, it is necessary to remove the already wilted ones so as not to slow down the process of the appearance of new flowers.
The diameter of one aster flower is up to 8 cm, sometimes more. The flowering period begins in July and can last until autumn frosts. At this time, many plants are already preparing for winter, and the Winter Cherry aster still decorates and enlivens the boring autumn landscape of the garden with its appearance.
Planting aster in open ground begins in April. Further care consists of performing normal work: loosening the soil, removing weed, watering and fertilizing. Do not forget also about the timely cutting of old dried inflorescences.
Winter cherry aster flowers are used for cutting and arranging autumn bouquets. In the photo you see a typical specimen of this variety of asters.
"Yellow"
The color of the flower is yellow, but not monochrome. The reed petals of the pompom aster are pale yellow at the edges, closer to the center, turning into tube petals, they become rich yellow, and in the center they are almost orange. Reed petals are arranged in several tiers.
The height of the Pompon Yellow aster bush is 40-55 cm, the flower sizes are small (up to 4 cm in diameter), the branching of the stems is average. During the growing season, the shrub forms up to 35 inflorescences.Flowering begins in July and lasts until frost. Planting in the ground is scheduled for the middle or end of May. Grown from seeds.
Flowers of this aster are good for cutting for making monochromatic bouquets or arranging compositions in combination with other representatives of the floral world.
"Princess Diana"
Snow-white delicate flowers adorn the aster bushes of this variety. It is believed that it was named after the beloved English princess. They are simple and charming, just like the most famous woman in the world.
The bush of the plant reaches 80 cm in height, branches strongly, the leaves grow densely, creating additional volume. Aster flowers are pompom-shaped, multi-tiered petals are white at the edges, slightly touched with yellow in the center.
The diameter of the flowers of a similar aster is 11 cm; one bush is capable of forming up to 27 flower ovaries per flowering season. Seeds for seedlings are sown in March or April. The aster blooms in early June, the flowering period lasts a long time, until the end of October.
Princess Diana pompom aster flowers are used to decorate the middle tier of flower arrangements in the garden landscape. Bouquets of cut snow-white aster flowers can be used to decorate wedding processions and banquet halls. With their color, they support the main color of the wedding - pure white, immaculate.
"Princess mix"
From the photo located at the bottom of this paragraph, you can determine that several varieties of Princess asters are collected in a mix. Seed producers often offer such mixtures, calling the mixtures by different names, but the essence is the same - flower growers receive many flowers of different shades.Some people think this is advisable, because in a plot (flower bed) you can grow plants of different colors at the same time and not bother with separate plantings, others like the monochrome nature of flower beds.
This is a matter of taste, and there is no arguing about tastes. Using this variety of pompom aster as an example, we will talk about how to grow flower seedlings from seeds and when is the best time to sow and plant in the ground. In the video at the end of the page, an experienced amateur gardener gives practical advice on this topic. We advise you to watch and listen to what she recommends. Maybe you will learn something new for yourself and take note of it.
Growing from seeds
Flower growers who constantly grow asters in their gardens use the self-sowing method, when the plant independently sheds its seeds in the fall, and in the spring they germinate again and again. For those who have decided to plant pompom asters for the first time, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the procedure for propagating them by seed.
Sowing seedlings
Plants of the Asteraceae family have a long growing season before flowering. You can ensure that asters in the garden bloom earlier, and therefore bloom longer, by planting ready-made seedlings in early spring. In this case, sowing of aster seeds begins in January or February (at room temperature). The seedlings will be ready for transplanting into the ground in May-April. You should proceed as follows:
- Preparing pompom aster seeds. Aster seeds are medium in size and easy to handle when sowing. Soak them in 100 ml salt water (1 tsp) for 2 hours. Remove any low-quality seeds that float, rinse those that have settled to the bottom with clean water and soak again for 30 minutes in a solution of potassium permanganate (concentration: slightly pink).Place the seeds on a damp cloth for germination. After 2-3 days, when sprouts emerge from the seeds, you can plant them in an earthen substrate.
- Preparation of pompom aster substrate. The easiest way for this process is to buy a ready-made mixture in a store, but if this is not possible, prepare the required composition yourself: 1 part coarse sand, 1 part light loose humus, 2 parts garden fertile soil. Mix all the components, place a layer of drainage material on the bottom of the container (see photo): pebbles, small stones, broken bricks, pour the substrate on top, leaving 2 cm to the edge of the container.
- Distribute the germinated aster seeds over the entire surface of the earth. For this, use small tweezers and a ruler so that the distance between the sprouts is the same (5x5 cm). Cover the planting with a thin (1 cm) layer of the same substrate on top. Lightly compact the soil and carefully water with warm water.
- Cover the container with film or glass and place in a warm place. When sprouts and the first cotyledon leaves of the aster appear, move the container to a more illuminated place, or add light in the same place, the cover can be removed. The air temperature should not be lower than +25°C. If you kept the distance when sowing the seeds, then picking is not required. Before planting in open ground, the seedlings will have enough free space.
- Pompom aster seedlings are planted as warm spring days arrive, it depends on the climatic conditions of your region.
When purchasing seed from the manufacturer or on the open market, pay attention to this.The number of germinating seeds decreases in proportion to the increase in storage time.
Sowing in the ground
In the southern regions, it is possible to sow pompom aster seeds directly into the ground in early spring or before winter. When sowing in winter, the seeds must be dry so as not to germinate prematurely. In the spring, planted seeds must be shed with water with the addition of chemical growth accelerators.
In the future, both winter and spring plantings of pompom aster need to be thinned out and leveled, without leaving voids in the flowerbed. In places where the plant has sprouted densely, carefully remove the excess ones and plant them in the resulting voids where the seeds have not sprouted at all.
A star in your garden
Translated from Greek, aster is a star. Pompon asters in your flower beds will illuminate the entire garden area with their bright blooming appearance for a long time. At any point, these little stars will complement and decorate the landscape, create a festive mood even on cloudy autumn days, warm your soul, and fill it with a feeling of love for the world around you.
These delicate “pompoms” will remind you of the children and grandchildren growing up in your family, take care of them, and they also say that those who love flowers live happily ever after. Be happy, plant flowers for your joy and for the pleasure of others. When you take care of plants, you first of all take care of your health.
