Swamp Aster(Symphyotrichum puniceum), proposed by Akène
🌿 An elegant perennial, essential for biodiversity 🌿
The swamp aster is a native perennial plant that stands out for its late flowering , ideal for extending the season of colors in the garden. Reaching up to 150 cm in height , it produces, from late summer to autumn , flowers of a magnificent purplish purple with a bright golden heart . Its robust stems, often slightly hairy , bear finely serrated foliage that adds a wild and natural touch to green spaces.
🌱 Adapted to rich and moist soils , the red aster thrives in full sun as well as partial shade and thrives in damp meadows, ditches and forest edges .
Characteristics of the variety
📅 Flowering : August to October
📏 Height : 150 cm
🌱 Spacing : 30 cm
☀️ Exposure : Sun, partial shade
🌿 Life cycle : Perennial
🌾 Soil type : Silty to clayey
💧 Soil moisture content : Damp to soggy
🦌 Deer Resistance : High
📦 Seeds per packet : 200
Sowing and cultivation
📏 Sowing depth : 3 mm
🌡 Germination time : 15 to 30 days
❄️ Cold stratification : 30 days
⚡ Scarification : Not required
🔹 Indoor method (recommended for optimal germination) :
1️⃣ Mix the seeds with damp sand and place them in the refrigerator for 30 days .
2️⃣ After stratification, sow on the surface of light, well-drained potting soil, without covering the seeds.
3️⃣ Maintain constant humidity until germination, which can take 2 to 4 weeks .
4️⃣ Transplant to the garden once the risk of frost has passed .
🔹 Outdoor method :
🌿 Sow directly in autumn for natural stratification during winter.
💧 Ensure moist soil until seedlings are established .
🌱 Once well established, the Ponceau aster is undemanding and requires little maintenance.
Ecological roles and utilities
🐝 A pollinator magnet : Essential source of nectar for bees, butterflies and bumblebees at the end of the season.
🦋 Support for biodiversity : Feeds a multitude of beneficial insects.
🐦 A resource for wildlife : Its seeds are appreciated by birds in the fall.
🌾 A soil stabilizer : Prevents erosion in wetlands.
Uses in landscaping
🌿 Perfect for naturalistic gardens and riparian strips .
🌸 Ideal in the background of flower beds thanks to its impressive height.
💧 Integrates well into wetlands and rain gardens .
Companion plants
🌿 Goldenrod, Joe Pye Weed, Blue Flag, Swamp Milkweed
Enemy plants
🌿 None known
Why grow the Ponceau aster?
🌸 A late flowering that prolongs the garden's brilliance
🐝 A major ecological asset for pollinators
🌾 A native plant adapted to humid soils
🦌 Deer resistant and low maintenance
🌿 Add the Ponceau Aster to your garden for a colorful fall and flourishing biodiversity!
