China aster Garden Jewel Rose Seeds

The China aster or Callistephus chinensis Garden Jewel Rose is a semi-dwarf variety that makes for excellent cut flowers. Its moderately early flowering features an abundance of flowers borne on sturdy, erect stems. Its flowers are reminiscent of chrysanthemum, are fair-sized and come in a superb shade of pink mixed with white. A real gem for the garden or for romantic bouquets, especially considering it has such a long vase life. These annual plants are easy to grow. Sow in a cold frame or directly in their final position, in a spot with good sun exposure and rich, well-drained soil.

China Aster, also known as Callistephus chinensis, is a Chinese annual plant of the family Asteraceae that has been cultivated since ancient times and that has produced and still produces, many varieties that are very interesting as bedding plants and as cut flowers. The plants of the Garden Jewel Rose variety reach a height of 50 cm in just a few months time, and are well-branched. Their stems carry oval, serrated, bright green leaves. Flowering takes place from July to September, featuring 8 to 8 cm, fully double floral heads that come in a pale pink shade that open to reveal an almost white centre. The central golden disk of the flower is barely visible.

The China aster is a first-rate bedding plant. Its flowers make for naïve but unforgettable scenes. A little out of fashion, they are still very decorative when planted in large drifts in flowerbeds since their flowers are perfect for pastoral bouquets, and they bloom for months if you take the time to remove their faded flowers. Sow them directly in the vegetable garden to obtain a profusion of blooms by the end of summer, even if they are just used to make bouquets. Among the wide range of existing varieties, there are some that carry flowers of various shapes that resemble those of Chrysanthemums with their fine, tapered petals arranged into pompoms that sometimes even have a ruffled look about them, or other varieties that present simple flowers like those of the type species. They come in many colours: from white to yellow, including all kinds of intense shades of pink and purple. The dwarf cultivars are perfect for borders and window-boxes, while the bigger, very double-flowered varieties are better for livening up the backdrop of your flowerbeds.