Aster 'Mason Reed'

Flashy purple stars with a softening hue towards their golden heart. The blooms open in their masses late in the season, so using a few of these is a great way to extend the colour into May. The plant grows at a good pace, forming nice dense mounds. Australian bred by the passionate plants-people at Antique Perennials in Kinglake and to their highest standards.

Asters make a sensational addition to the landscape. They are easier to grow than you might think and the display they provide can be jaw dropping.

Once established the plants don't require a lot of water, or care. Grow in moderately fertile to humus rich, well drained soil. Dig and divide in spring every 3-5 years to maintain their vigour (or save some seed for sowing) as they can be relatively short lived – though they do give a lot in that finite span so it is hard to begrudge them. They don’t like to be cold and wet, so good drainage is important. Watch out for slugs and snails with new foliage.

These plants have excellent mildew resistance and good vigour.

In the language of flowers, Aster's denote love or daintiness. The word, Aster, is Latin for Star. Asters are commonly known as Easter Daisies or Michaelmas Daisies.