Aster alpinus White Beauty seeds

Aster alpinus 'White Beauty' is a selection of the Alpine Aster with luminous white flowers. This small, very hardy alpine perennial forms low cushions that become covered in miniature daisies in spring and early summer. Compact, understated, and low-maintenance, it easily finds a place in rock gardens, borders, and sunny banks. Its flowers are rich in pollen and nectar, attract pollinators and bring a fresh, natural touch to the garden.

Aster alpinus belongs to the Asteraceae family. It is a perennial from the mountains of Europe and temperate Asia. It grows naturally in rocky grassland, dry meadows, and well-drained escarpments, often on calcareous soils, at medium to high altitudes. It overwinters as a rosette at ground level. 
The cultivar 'White Beauty' is a horticultural form with white flowers belonging to the Albus group. The plant forms a dense clump; its roots have short, thick underground stems that resemble small rhizomes. It is not invasive: the tight rosettes remain clustered and slowly widen around the base. The erect flowering stems reach 15 to 25cm in height. The basal leaves, arranged in a rosette, are spatulate to lanceolate, thick, medium to dark green, and slightly hairy. The stem leaves (cauline) are narrower, linear to lanceolate, and arranged alternately along the stems. Each stem bears a solitary, 3 to 5 cm diameter head. As with all Asteraceae, the inflorescence consists of a crown of white ligulate flowers surrounding a disc of small, bright yellow tubular flowers. Flowering occurs from May to June, sometimes extending into July depending on the weather or altitude. A slight repeat flowering is possible if faded flowers are removed. The heads are honey-producing. The plant produces small dry fruits, achenes topped with a silky egret, allowing partial dispersal by the wind.
Aster alpinus 'White Beauty' is a short-lived perennial. Its presence can be maintained by re-sowing or dividing the clumps every 3 to 4 years. From sowing, it takes one year to obtain flowering plants, then 2 to 3 years for the cushion to reach its maximum dimensions.

The Alpine Aster 'White Beauty' is mainly used as a rock garden perennial and low border plant. It can be tucked between stones, along a staircase, at the top of a low wall, at the edge of a border, or in a pot on a sunny terrace. Its white flowering accompanies the blue-violet cushions of a Campanula portenschlagiana 'Resholt Variety', the deep pink carpets of Phlox subulata 'Atropurpurea', or the carmine pom-poms of Armeria maritima 'Splendens'. For contrast, add a Sedum kamtschaticum 'Variegatum', with its variegated foliage and yellow flowers. These low perennials create very floriferous, easy-care scenes perfect for hot, stony areas of the garden.