New York aster

Questions about New York aster

Does New York aster need sun or shade?

New York aster grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day).

It wants soil that stays evenly moist, of average fertility, and a good soak in dry spells.

What zones does New York aster grow in?

USDA zones 4 to 8. It is hardy to zone 4, which means it survives winter nights down to about −20 °F (−29 °C).

Above zone 8 it struggles: the zones measure winter cold, but a plant's top zone usually means the summers are too hot or the winters too mild for it to rest.

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

When does New York aster flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers late August to mid October. As a summer flower it moves about half a week for every zone: earlier where it is warmer.

Worked out from Hopkins' bioclimatic law: spring arrives about four days later for each degree of latitude north, and one zone is roughly two degrees. A warm spring or a cold one moves any garden two weeks either way.

How far apart should New York aster be planted?

24 in (60 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is about its full width, so each plant keeps its own outline.

It grows 3 ft (90 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many New York aster plants do I need?

At 24 in apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 3 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 6 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 10 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own

In a mixed border, plant it as a group of three or five, with a second group further along in the other number.

In the bed above, the planner used three in one group.

Is New York aster poisonous to dogs and cats?

No toxicity is recorded for dogs, cats, horses or people, according to NC State Extension.

"Not toxic" is not "edible": a pet that eats a lot of any plant can be sick.

Do deer eat New York aster?

Mostly not. NC State lists it as resistant to deer. No plant is proof against a hungry deer in a hard winter, but this one is low on the menu.

Will New York aster spread?

It spreads sideways, by runners or roots; the risk of it taking over is moderate. Spreads by underground runners and can crowd its neighbours. Dig out the edges or divide every 2 to 3 years.

What flowers after New York aster?

New York aster is over by mid October. These start as it finishes and carry the same spot on, so it never goes flat:

• Japanese onion 'Ozawa': from early October to early November, 10 in tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.
• Tatarian aster 'Jindai': from early October to early November, 4 ft tall.
• Bodnant viburnum 'Dawn': from early November to late December, 10 ft tall.

What does New York aster look like in winter?

New York aster dies down, but leave the stems standing: the seed heads stand through the winter, and songbirds eat the seed. Cut them down in early spring, before the new shoots come.

Is New York aster good for bees and butterflies?

New York aster is visited by pollinators, bees, specialist bees, butterflies and songbirds.

It is a host plant: the caterpillars of pearl crescent feed on its leaves. A butterfly can only lay its eggs on its host plants, so these do more for it than any nectar flower.

It is native to the United States and Canada.