Kickin® 'Lilac Blue' New England Aster
Perennial
- Thousands of blue and violet blooms in autumn!
- Easy to care for, thrives in any soil.
- Native perennial attracts local pollinators.
- Disease resistant and long-blooming.
- Zones 5-9 sun, 3' tall x 3' wide at maturity.
ZONE
EXPOSURE
HEIGHT
Description
Details
Common name: New England aster
Zone: 5-9
Sun exposure: Sun (> 6 hours sun)
Height x width: 2 - 3 ft high and wide
Flower color: Lilac blue
Foliage color: Green
Bloom time: Late summer-fall
Features: Rain gardens, rabbit & deer resistant, native, heat tolerant, ground covers, fall color cold tolerant
Uses: Accent, border, container gardening, cottage gardening, edging, ground cover, massing, pollinator garden, rock garden, small spaces, underplanting
How to Grow
Light: Sun
Water: Average water requirements. Water more often in extreme heat. Some asters are moisture-sensitive; if your plants have too much moisture or too little moisture, they will often lose their lower foliage or not flower well.
Spacing: 1-1.5 ft apart
Fertilizing: Not necessary, but a light application of slow-release fertilizer every spring should be more than adequate.
Winterizing: Cut asters back in winter after the foliage has died. Avoid wet, overwintering conditions.
Maintenance & pruning: Pinch back and divide like mums for best display. Pinching yields better branching and more flowers but isn't mandatory for success. Can be divided every 2-3 years in spring. Remove spent blooms to prevent reseeding.
Plant spacing is based on the ultimate width of the plants. This figure is normally given as a range; for example, 3-5’. If you live in a cold climate and/or want plants to fill in more quickly, plan to space at the shorter end of the range. If you live in a warm climate, are on a limited budget, or are willing to wait longer for plants to touch, use the higher end of the range. Using the larger number is recommended when calculating distance from a building or structure. There’s really no such thing as "maximum spacing": if you don’t want your plants to touch, you can space them as far apart as you’d like. All plant spacing is calculated on center, or in other words, the centers of the plants are spaced one half of their eventual width apart:
Unless you are planting in a straight line, as you might for hedges or edging, space your plants in a staggered or zig-zag pattern for a more interesting and naturalistic look:
Not sure just how many plants will fit in your garden? Our calculator gives you the exact amount of plants required for your space. Simply update the values and the calculator will re-calculate accordingly. Spacing information can be found in the 'How to Grow' tab on each plant's page.
