Callistephus chinensis Hulk seeds - China aster

The China aster or Callistephus chinensis 'Hulk' is an extravagant variety developing large green bracts around a centre of yellow and white ligules. This annual Chinese Aster with rapid growth produces abundant flowering that attracts butterflies, from midsummer until frost. The plant is tall. The strong, straight stems bear long, deeply toothed leaves. Perfect in pots or beds, it makes an excellent long-lasting cut flower. it is easy to grow and can be sown under glass or directly in the ground, in a sunny location, in fertile and well-drained soil.

The Queen Marguerite, also known as China Aster, is a Chinese annual plant from the Asteraceae family with a very ancient culture that has produced and still produces many very interesting varieties for beds and cut flowers. 'Hulk' forms a well-branched plant and reaches a height of 1 m in a few months, with a width of 40 cm. Its stems bear oval, serrated bright green leaves. Flowering occurs from June to September, depending on the sowing date, in large heads resembling fried eggs, composed of several rows of ligules or petals surrounding a centre of fertile florets. The plant lives only one season, blooming and producing seeds.

Queen Marguerite 'Hulk', is tall with modern, unusual, visually striking flowers that stand out in sunny beds. It thrives in well-drained, moist, even limestone-rich soil. Plant it in large clumps among other annuals or perennials. The plants bloom for months if you remove faded flowers. They make beautiful long-lasting bouquets mixed with other wildflowers. You can even grow them just for cutting in the vegetable garden to get a profusion of flowers in late summer. Among the wide range of varieties, there are flowers of various shapes, resembling those of chrysanthemums, with very fine, sometimes even ruffled, petals, in pompoms or single like those of the species. Large varieties like 'Hulk' enliven the middle or back of beds. Combine them with flowers of different shapes and echoing colours, yellow or white, but also oranges. To give it the spotlight, you can also simply mix it with foliage plants like fennel.