China Aster
Callistephus chinensis
China aster is a winter annual with chrysanthemum-like flowers in purple, pink, white and red, popular for garlands and cut flowers. It grows easily from seed and blooms for weeks in cool weather.
Photo: Salicyna · CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Essential Care Requirements
Light
Full sun
Watering
Moderate
Water at the base when the top of the soil is dry.
Soil
Fertile, well-drained soil; pH 6.0–7.5.
Temperature and humidity
5–30 °C · Moderate humidity
Feeding
Feed every three weeks with a balanced fertilizer.
Pruning and propagation
Propagate by seed
Pinch young plants for more flowers; stake tall types.
China asters are not known to be toxic.
Top Cultivation Tips
Sow in September–October in the plains.
Do not grow in the same spot every year, to avoid wilt.
Cut flowers last over a week in water.
Space plants well for airflow.
Common problems
Aphids
Small, soft-bodied insects that cluster on new shoots and buds, sucking sap and leaving sticky honeydew behind.
How to treat it →DiseaseFusarium wilt
A soil-borne fungus that blocks the water-conducting tissue, making plants yellow and wilt from one side.
How to treat it →PestJassids
Small, wedge-shaped green insects that run sideways and suck sap from leaf undersides, causing curled, yellow-edged and scorched leaves.
How to treat it →
