Aster dumosus Silberblaukissen

Aster dumosus 'Silberblaukissen' is a robust perennial. Between August and October, it transforms into a cushion of pale-blue flowers with silver reflections and yellow hearts, reminiscent of small daisies. The more or less trailing stump emits ramified stems, adorned with lanceolate, dark green and glossy leaves. It is a plant with a compact and sturdy habit, ideal for replacing summer perennials, in pots or borders.

Asters belong to the Asteraceae family, which mainly consists of herbaceous plants. Aster dumosus 'Silberblaukissen' is a medium-sized hybrid derived from Aster dumosus or New York Aster, native to the eastern half of the United States, from Texas to Florida, Maine and Wisconsin. This 50cm (20in) aster brings the garden to life in late summer and early autumn, covering its foliage with small pale-blue heads with yellow centres. The robust, dark green foliage is deciduous and composed of linear leaves, sometimes affected by powdery mildew.

Aster dumosus 'Silberblaukissen' thrives in sunny or slightly shaded positions in all rich and moist soils, even slightly dry ones. It is perfect for creating charming autumn scenes. Easy to grow, its 40 to 50 cm (16 to 20in) habit allows for the creation of colourful patches, combined with golden or coppery grasses , tall Sedum spectabile and heucheras in shades of purple. Its cousins, the chrysanthemums, enrich the beds of asters with vibrant colours, pink, purple, orange or white. Aster dumosus 'Silberblaukissen' also elegantly adorns rockeries, borders, or pots placed on window sills. It attracts many butterflies.

The genus Aster offers a large number of species, which themselves come in a wide variety of 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.