Horticulture/Aster

The genus Aster (syn. Diplopappus Cass.) includes some 600 species of widely distributed flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Aster comes from the Greek word for "star", and refers to the shape of the flower head. Many species and a variety of hybrids and varieties are now popular as garden plants because of their showy flower heads.

The genus Aster is now generally restricted to the Old World species, with Aster amellus being the type species of the genus (and of the family Asteraceae). The New World species have now been reclassified in the genera ../Almutaster/, ../Canadanthus/, ../Doellingeria/, ../Eucephalus/, ../Eurybia/, ../Ionactis/, ../Oligoneuron/, ../Oreostemma/, ../Sericocarpus/ and Symphyotrichum (see : List of Aster synonyms on Wikipedia), but are still widely referred to as "Asters" in the horticultural trade.

In the United Kingdom there are only two native members of the genus of which one, Goldilocks is very rare, the other being the Sea aster, ../Aster tripolium/.

Description
The flowers are heads, borne in generally large terminal clusters. Rays female and strap-shaped, disk flowers perfect, usually yellow. Involcure green and of several rows. The seeds are achenes with a bristly pappus.

The leaves are alternate and simple.

Species
Some common species are:
 * ../Aster alpinus/
 * ../Aster amellus/ ('European Michaelmas Daisy' or 'Italian Aster')
 * ../Aster cordifolius/ ('Blue Wood Aster')
 * ../Aster divaricatus/ ('White Wood Aster')
 * ../Aster ericoides/ ('Heath Aster')
 * ../Aster laevis/
 * ../Aster lateriflorus/ ('Lady in Black')
 * ../Aster linosyris/ ('Goldilocks Aster')
 * ../Aster novae-angliae/ ('New England Aster')
 * ../Aster novi-belgii/ ('New York Aster')
 * ../Aster pilosus/ ('Frost Aster')
 * ../Aster pringlei/
 * ../Aster scaber/
 * ../Aster sibericus/
 * ../Aster tataricus/
 * ../Aster tongolensis/
 * ../Aster tripolium/ ('Sea Aster')

The China aster is in a related genus, ../Callistephus/.

Uses
Asters make good fresh cut flowers. In the garden they are an excellent nectar source for attracting pollinators and beneficial insects.

Propagation
Division, seed.

Pests and Diseases
../Powdery Mildew/ ../Leaf Spots/ ../Downy Mildew/ ../Gray Mold/ ../Wilt/ ../Cankers/ ../Rusts/ ../White Smut/
 * Erisiphe cichoracearum
 * Alternaria
 * Ascochyta compositarium
 * Cercospora asterata
 * Cercospora cana
 * Discosphaerina pseudimantia
 * Leptothyrium doellingeriae
 * Ovularia asteris
 * Ovularia virgaureae
 * Phyllachora asterigens
 * Ramularia asteris
 * Septoria asteris
 * Septoria astericola
 * Basidiophora entospora
 * Fusarium oxysporum f. callistephi
 * Verticillium
 * Coleosporium solidagnis: Alternate hosts 2/3 needle pines
 * Puccinia asteris: Alternate hosts grasses and sedges
 * Puccinia extensicola var. asteris: Alternate hosts grasses and sedges
 * Puccinia grindeliae: Alternate hosts grasses and sedges
 * Puccinia stipae:
 * Uromyces compactus: Alternate hosts grasses and sedges
 * Uromyces junci: Alternate hosts grasses and sedges

../Aster Yellows/

../Dodder/

../Aphids/ ../Hoppers/ ../Bugs/ ../Earwigs/ ../Whitefly/ ../Maggots/ ../Beetles/ ../Weevils/ ../Caterpillars/ (list of Lepidoptera which feed on Aster) ../Mites/ ../Slugs and Snails/
 * Leaf Curl Plum Aphid: ../Brachycaudus helichrysi/
 * Brown Ambrosia Aphid: ../Dactynotus ambrosiae/
 * Aphid: ../Macrosiphum artemesiae/
 * Aphid: ../Macrosiphum asterifoliae/
 * Crescent-marked Lily Aphid: ../Neomyzus circumflexus/
 * Petiole Gall Aphid: ../Pemphigus/ spp.:
 * Erigeron Root Aphid: ../Aphis middletoni/
 * Western Aster Root Aphid: ../Aphis armoraciae/
 * Aster Leaf Hopper: ../Macrosteles facifrons/
 * Treehopper: ../Entylia carniata/
 * Tarnished Plant Bug: ../Lygus lineolaris/
 * Chrysanthemum Lace Bug: ../Corythucha marmorata/
 * European Earwig: ../Forficula auricularia/
 * Greenhouse Whitefly: ../Trialeurodes vaporariorum/
 * Silverleaf Whitefly: ../Bemisia argentifolii/
 * Iris Whitefly: ../Aleyrodes spiraeoides/
 * Leafminer: ../Amauromyza maculosa/
 * American Serpentine Leaf Miner: ../Liriomyza trifolii/
 * Japanese Beetle: ../Popillia japonica/
 * Blister Beetles: ../Epicauta/ spp.
 * Black Vine Weevil: ../Otiorhynchus sulcatus/
 * Clearwing Borer: ../Carmenta corni/
 * European Corn Borer: ../Ostrinia nubilalis/
 * Soybean Looper: ../Pseudoplusia includens/
 * Cyclamen Mite: ../Steneotarsonemus pallidus/