Dark Beauty Alpine Aster Aster alpinus 'Dark Beauty' Height: 10 inches Spread: 18 inches
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Hardiness Zone: 3 Description: Compact, spreading habit; profusion of violet flowers and attractive lance-like green leaves; prefers cool, moist soil; water the root zone instead of from the top to reduce fungal disease; water regularly to encourgage more blooms; long lasting flowers Ornamental Features Dark Beauty Alpine Aster has masses of beautiful violet daisy flowers with yellow eyes at the ends of the stems from late spring to early summer, which are most effective when planted in groupings. Its narrow leaves remain dark green in colour throughout the season. Landscape Attributes Dark Beauty Alpine Aster is a dense herbaceous perennial with a ground-hugging habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage. This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration; Dark Beauty Alpine Aster is recommended for the following landscape applications; Planting & Growing Dark Beauty Alpine Aster will grow to be about 10 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 18 inches. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 4 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen! This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to dry locations, and dislikes excessive moisture. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation. Dark Beauty Alpine Aster is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its spreading habit of growth, it is ideally suited for use as a 'spiller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the edges where it can spill gracefully over the pot. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
