Very showy, China Aster (Callistephus chinensis) is a beautiful annual and one of the most rewarding summer flowers with its brilliant colors and its profuse blooms over a long season extending from early summer to fall. Grow these pretty blossoms in beds or containers on your deck or patio, and enjoy them inside in fresh bouquets!

• Native to China, China Asters are cool-weather annual plants that belong to the family Asteraceae, a large plant family that also includes dahlias, chrysanthemums, sunflowers, zinnias, and coreopsis. They are highly popular amongst gardeners thanks to their wide variety of plant heights, flower sizes, forms, and colors - a diversity to suit every need!
• Growing from 12 in. (30 cm) to 36 in. (90 cm) on branching stems, they offer short varieties that are perfect for the front of the border or for edging and giants that look best in the middle or back of the border. The foliage consists of broadly ovate to triangular-ovate leaves that are deeply toothed.

• Flowers are as large as 3-5 in. (7-12 cm), and their form varies from single daisy-like blossoms with a golden heart to fully double flowers with pompom form. They are available in a wide array of shades, including white, pink, red, blue, violet, purple, and yellow.

• Extremely easy to grow, China Asters are annuals that love full sun or part shade and prefer rich, evenly moist, well-draining soils. Do not allow the soil to dry out. Mulching keeps these shallow-rooted plants from drying out.
• Wonderful plants for beds, borders, cutting gardens, containers, and cottage gardens, and they are unsurpassed as fresh-cut flowers!
• Don't crowd your Chinese Asters to keep them disease-free. Air circulation is important. Watch for Aster yellows, aphids, or leafhoppers.
• Amongst the easiest plants to grow from seed, you can start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost date, should you wish for earlier spring blooms. Then sow seeds directly outdoors every two weeks for an extended season of bloom.
• Tall varieties may be given some support.

Callistephus 'Opus'

Callistephus 'Super Baby Light Pink'

Callistephus 'Starlight Rose'

• Some of the most popular Chinese Aster cultivars are:
  Ribbon Series: compact with bi-colored flowers, up to 12 in. tall (30 cm). Great for containers.
  Milady Series: bushy and compact, up to 20 in. tall (50 cm). Great for containers.
  Gala Series: tall, up to 32 in. (80 cm), with large, quill-petaled flowers that are good for cutting.
  Super Baby Series: fully double flowers in various colors, up to 24 in. tall (60 cm). Excellent as cut flowers.
  Serenade Mix: Early flowering with small semi-double flowers, up to 22 in. tall (55 cm). Great for cutting and flower arrangements.