Woodland Aster

Size

Woodland gardens can be restful places that promote contemplation and reflection. Woodland Aster adds to this calming effect with white froths of single petaled, dainty blooms rising above deep green, lance-shaped leaves. Woodland Aster blooms late in the summer as other plants in the woodland garden are finishing up their displays.This is a true herbaceous perennial that completely dies back into the ground before winter. Woodland Aster is a very useful butterfly, bee and bird attractor. Use this plant as a taller ground cover in a mass planting. The plants will spread through the area, creating a beautiful carpet of flowers. The foliage emerges very early in the spring and provides a nice mounded structure until the flowers bloom late in the summer. Woodland Aster Care Woodland Aster is tolerant of acid and alkaline soil. It likes moist soil that is very well mulched and on the rich, loamy side. By using organic compost or leaves to mulch Aster, fertilization will not be necessary..Additional irrigation may be needed in very hot spells, although once established, Woodland Aster is drought resistant. Little annual maintenance is needed for this lovely low maintenance plant. Leaving the flower blooms over the winter allows birds to eat the seeds and other insects to use the stems and foliage for shelter and nesting. A quick cutback to the ground early in the spring is the only upkeep needed. Division is easily done in the fall after blooming. The rhizomes are easily teased apart to form new plants. Woodland Aster Spacing Woodland Aster has a height of 18-30 inches and a spread of 18-30 inches. Planting in groups for a ground cover effect is best done 24 inches on center. The flower heads will need some sort of staking to keep completely upright.