Description
China Aster ‘Double Pompon’
Callistephus chinensis
New Limited Edition
Normally only avaible as a ‘cut flower’ from florist websites.
More sturdy against the weather. This is the type the professionals grow to sell as cut flowers! I found them!
Theses fit the bill, petals that completely cover the centre, they are so neat and tidy and have an extraordinary vase life.
Together we hand picked the colours that we liked, and have now been made into one of my special ‘limited edition’ blends. These seeds don’t otherwise come blended!
My blends are not available anywhere else, I hand pick the colours we want only for an equal blend and NO surprise mustard flowers!
Frustratingly standard mixes are often filled with an unbalanced range of unattractive colours and very few or even none of the most popular colours. It’s so disappointing, and I always promise that we have exactly the same to grow together. My blends are to designed to allow us all to grow all the lovely colours without compromise.
Blooming right at the end of the season, just as everything else is starting to fade.
The reaction I had when I grew these in my garden meant I just had to get them for you!
How to grow:
China Aster is cold and light sensitive, so don’t start them too early.
Seeds will benefit from ‘a bit of warmth’ to germinate, 20-22°C is ideal, a warm kitchen or a heat mat.
I sow one seed per cell on to the surface of the compost only covering with a clear propagator lid to retain moisture and humidity.
Plant 22cm apart after the last frost.
Planting partners that are particularly complementary to bloom at the same time include Statice, Nicotiana Lime green, Amaranthus and Eucalyptus.
Other options for late flowers include Applemint, Clary Sage, Cynoglossum, Panicum, Phlox, Rudbeckia, Strawflowers and Zinnia!
For more detailed growing instructions join our ‘Grow-A-Long’ and for busy gardeners you can now plan ahead with our Spring Grow-A-Long Handbook.
Details:
Variety: Callistephus chinensis
Type: Half Hardy Annual
Position: Plants require full sun
Sow: Spring
Height: 70-80cm 70-80 (24-30”) (2 ½ ft)
Spacing: 22cm
Harvest: dramatic displays from July until September
Seeds per packet: 50
Cutting /Vase Life:
This China Asters is a particularly good cut flower, bunches of fully double strong flowers. You can fill a vase with just 3 stems. For the longest vase life (10+ days), pick as soon as flowers begin to open and rest stems in a bucket of water for a few hours (preferably overnight) before arranging, this is called conditioning.
