Aster Macaroon - Blue Seed
$3.50Price
GST Included
The Aster Macaroon series produces uniform, productive plants reaching 60–80 cm in height, ideal for cutting. They feature dense, double, pom-pom flowers in colours like violet, blue, and white, often with creamy yellow centres. Unlike perennial garden asters (which bloom in autumn), China Asters are annuals that bloom from mid-summer through to autumn, filling a critical gap in the Queensland cut flower calendar when other crops like dahlias are just starting.
🌱 Plant Identity
- Scientific Name: Callistephus chinensis
- Common Names: Aster, China Aster, Summer Aster.
- Type: Annual
- Flowers: Tall and dense, double, pom-pom flowers in colours like violet, blue, and white, often with creamy yellow centres.
Only 5 left in stock
- Sowing Method: Transplanting is highly recommended over direct sowing to ensure tall stems. Sow seeds 6mm deep in 72-cell trays or containers 6–8 weeks before the last frost date or when soil temperatures reach 18–21°C.
- Germination: Seeds typically germinate in 10–14 days at temperatures between 21–22°C.
- Watering: Keep soil evenly moist but well-drained. These plants have shallow roots and are susceptible to drying out, so mulching is essential.
- Feeding: Incorporate aged compost or manure into the soil before planting. Avoid heavy fertilization once established; a light application of organic fertilizer early in the season is usually sufficient.
- Support: Because Macaroon varieties grow 60–80 cm tall, they require support (such as pea netting or bamboo stakes) to prevent stems from bending or breaking under the weight of the heavy blooms, especially in windy Queensland conditions.
- Harvest: Cut flowers when the outer ray florets begin to open. Immediately place stems in water to maximize vase life, which can range from 7–10 days.