Asters

The genus Aster (syn. Diplopappus Cass.)includes some 600 species of widely distributed flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Aster comes from the Greek word for "star", and refers to the shape of the flower head. Many species and a variety of hybrids and varieties are now popular as garden plants because of their showy flower heads. Asters can grow in all hardiness zones.

Species

Some common species are:

• Aster alpinus
• Aster amellus ('European Michaelmas Daisy' or 'Italian Aster')
• Aster cordifolius ('Blue Wood Aster')
• Aster divaricatus ('White Wood Aster')
• Aster ericoides ('Heath Aster')
• Aster laevis
• Aster lateriflorus ('Lady in Black')
• Aster linosyris ('Goldilocks Aster')
• Aster novae-angliae ('New England Aster')
• Aster novi-belgii ('New York Aster')
• Aster pilosus ('Frost Aster')
• Aster pringlei
• Aster scaber
• Aster sibericus
• Aster tataricus
• Aster tongolensis
• Aster tripolium ('Sea Aster')