Aster dumosus Anneke

Aster dumosus 'Anneke' is a small, robust and floriferous perennial that adds a lot of charm to rock gardens in late season. Between August and October, it transforms into a cushion of deep carmine pink flowers with golden hearts, gathered in clusters. Its trailing stump produces ramified stems with lanceolate, dark green and glossy leaves. Ideal for ensuring the succession of summer blooms, this miniature aster is easy to grow in the sun, in any well-drained, acidic or alkaline soil.

Asters belong to the Asteraceae family, which mainly includes herbaceous plants. Aster dumosus 'Anneke' is a dwarf hybrid derived from A. dumosus, or New York Aster, a species native to the eastern half of the United States (from Texas to Florida, Maine, and Wisconsin). This aster is cold-resistant and tolerates drought once established. 'Anneke' measures 25 to 30 cm (10 to 12in) in all directions. It brings the garden to life in late summer and early autumn, covering its foliage with small 2 to 3cm (1in) diameter heads made up of 15 to 20 fine ligules or 'petals' of a pinkish-red colour, arranged around a small yellow centre. This flowering, which lasts several weeks, is popular with many pollinating insects. In warm regions, it waits for the return of rain in September-October to bloom. The foliage consists of small narrow and linear, tough, rough, dark green leaves, which may be prone to powdery mildew. It will persist on the stems if the winter is mild. Otherwise, the above-ground vegetation will dry out in winter and regrow in spring.

The compact and highly decorative Aster dumosus 'Anneke' fits into any garden, in a sunny location. Its compact habit and cushion-like appearance make it ideal for rock gardens, borders, as well as pots and containers, brightening up the surroundings of the house. It is perfect for creating charming autumn scenes when planted with golden or coppery grasses, sedums, and heucheras with green foliage.

The aster genus offers a wide variety of species, each with numerous flowering varieties. They come in all sizes, with an extremely rich range of colours. Each season, there are several species to choose from, including Aster alpinus or A. tongolensis for spring asters, A. amellus or A. frikartii for summer asters, and A. cordifolius, A. dumosus, A. ericoides, A. lateriflorus, A. novae-angliae, or A. novi-belgii for autumn asters.