Frikart's aster

Sun

Full sun is best; tolerates light partial shade, but flowers less and may lean.

Water

Moderate; water during establishment and prolonged dry spells. Avoid persistently wet soil, especially in winter.

Soil

Well-drained, moderately fertile soil, preferably evenly moist during growth. Tolerates chalk and a range of soil pH levels, but struggles in waterlogged clay.

Height

2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m)

Spread

1.5-2 ft (0.45-0.6 m)

Flowers

Lavender-blue to violet-blue daisies with yellow centres, from midsummer into autumn; timing and duration vary with cultivar and climate.

Foliage

Green, lance-shaped, slightly rough or hairy leaves on branching stems; dies back in winter.

Growth

Moderate

Care needed

Low

• Water newly planted clumps deeply whenever the surrounding soil begins to dry.
• Spread a thin layer of compost around plants in spring; avoid heavy nitrogen feeding, which encourages floppy growth.
• Mulch to conserve moisture, keeping the crown clear.
• Add discreet supports in spring if plants grow in rich soil or an exposed position.
• Divide crowded clumps in spring every three to four years, or when flowering declines.

Pruning. Remove faded flower heads during the flowering season if you want a tidier display. Cut dead stems close to ground level in late winter or early spring before new shoots lengthen.

Late winter

Cut down old stems before fresh growth develops.

Spring

Plant or divide clumps once the soil is workable and no longer waterlogged.

Mid-spring

Apply compost and mulch, and install supports where needed.

Summer

Water during extended dry spells, particularly while buds are forming.

Late summer

Remove spent flower heads if desired and check for mildew on crowded growth.

Autumn

Leave healthy stems standing if preferred, and check that water drains freely around the crown.

• Plant through the middle of a sunny mixed border for blue flowers after many early perennials have finished.
• Combine with ornamental grasses for a loose, late-season planting with contrasting flower and leaf shapes.
• Pair with yellow coneflowers or black-eyed Susans for a clear blue-and-yellow contrast.
• Repeat small groups beside paths or seating areas where visiting bees and butterflies can be watched.

Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, English country, New perennial (prairie), Pollinator garden, Blues and silvers and Autumn colour.

Plant it with: Black-eyed Susan, Purple coneflower, Feather reed grass, Stonecrop, Russian sage and Catmint.

Wildlife: The open flower heads provide nectar and pollen for bees, butterflies and other flower-visiting insects over a long season.

• Winter crown or root rot: improve drainage, keep mulch away from the crown, and avoid planting in winter-wet hollows.
• Powdery mildew: although relatively resistant, plants can be affected; allow air circulation, water the soil during drought, and remove badly affected leaves.
• Slugs and snails on emerging shoots: inspect young growth and use hand-picking or labelled iron-phosphate bait where necessary.
• Floppy stems or sparse flowering: move plants into more sun, reduce nitrogen feeding, and support stems early.

Not known to be toxic to cats, dogs, horses or people. No plant part is recognised as a significant poisoning hazard, although specific information on this hybrid is limited; it is not an edible plant.

• Italian aster (Aster amellus)

  One of its parents, with similar violet-blue daisies; it is generally more compact and has a shorter flowering season. Cultivars overlap enough that a reliable label may be needed.

• New York aster (Symphyotrichum novi-belgii)

  Usually flowers later, with denser clusters of smaller daisies and smoother leaves whose bases often clasp the stems.

• New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)

  Usually taller and more upright, with densely hairy stems and clasping leaves; flowers are commonly deeper purple or pink and concentrated in autumn.

Aster means 'star', referring to the flower heads, while frikartii honours the Swiss breeder Carl Frikart, who raised the hybrid.

Propagation. Divide established clumps in spring or take basal cuttings from fresh spring shoots. Seed is unreliable for reproducing this hybrid, and named cultivars will not come true from seed.

Accepted botanical name

Aster frikartii

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.