Aster divaricatus

WHITE WOOD ASTER

Syn. Eurybia divaricata

Aster divaricatus
WHITE WOOD ASTER
Syn. Eurybia divaricata

Aster divaricatus is the finest, white Easter Daisy, and one of the few that thrives in dry shade.

Finest white stars in misty profusion

Filament fine starry flowers cover the whole plant with a mist of white, from the middle of summer till later in autumn.

Sweetly fragrant clouds of flowers

And the heads of flowers waft sweet fragrance.

Long & profuse blooming

Aster divaricatus certainly wins the prize for prolific blooming amongst the white Easter Daisies, and also puts up a fight for the longest blooming.

Mists of white on black stems

The flat heads of fine-rayed, misty white stars are borne on slender black stems.
So the whole cloud sways in the breeze.

Glistening stars brighten the shade

Aster divaricatus is one of the few Easter Daisies that prefers and thrives in shade, including positions that are almost entirely shaded and receive only a little sun.

Thrives in dry shade

It is also one of the few Easter Daisies that blooms happily in dry shade.

Water-wise & tough

But the delicate appearance disguises a tough constitution.
Aster divaricatus is actually ultra-hardy.
Because Aster it comes from a native habitat amongst trees and shrubs in woodland, right down the east coast on North America – from cold Canada to the humid deep South.
So it is not a bit fussy, and well adapted to a wide variety of conditions.

Copes with with winter frost & summer humidity

Including an ability to cope with frosts and humidity equally well, plus periods of dry – particularly if it is in shade.

Adapts to a wide range of soils

Plants tolerate average, dry or moist soil.
Clay, loam, sand, acid or alkaline soil pH and all points in between, are all to the taste of Aster divaricatus.

Excellent cut flowers

Just a hand full of cut stems can fill a large vase with white mist.
So Aster divaricatus can take the place of Gypsophila in floristry, and provide sweet scent as well.

Pollinator friendly plant

This beautiful White Wood Aster is also a great plant for supporting bees, pollinators and birds in your garden.
Bees, butterflies and flying pollinators adore the nectar rich white daisies, and even help make the plant attractive. As the yellow centres of each daisy turns red once it has been visited (so it saves the bees wasting time).

Bird friendly too

The billowing flower heads go to seed later in autumn and provide valuable food for native Finches and other small seed eating birds needing to plump up before winter.

Good groundcover in dry shade

Aster divaricatus is an evergreen perennial.
During winter it is a low mat of groundcover foliage. Then in summer the black stems arise and begin flowering, and it treats the birds with seed in early winter.
It is a low maintenance, self-sufficient plant, but you can shear it back to ground level during winter if you wish, or just let it get on with it alone.

Useful on slopes & difficult spots

White Wood Aster gently increases by rhizome, so it binds the soil well on slopes or covers the ground in difficult spots under trees and shrubs.
It is not invasive.

Rabbit, deer & drought resistant

Rabbits and deer tend to find the taste unpalatable, and usually leave it alone.

SEED SOWING ADVICE: QUICK & EASY
Suitable for beginners & gardening with kids

Sow seeds of Aster divaricatus at any time indoors when suitable temperatures are available (18-21°C).
OR
Scatter seeds directly in garden in autumn or early spring.

Sow indoors for quick plants & early flowers: Sow the seeds on surface of good quality seed raising mix.
Then pat gently to ensure good contact with the mix.
And barely, lightly sprinkle the seeds with sieved mix / vermiculate / fine grit, to a maximum of 3mm. Because these seeds need light to germinate.

Now thoroughly moisten the sown punnet by standing it in a shallow water-bath.
And allow the water to percolate up to the surface from below.

Then stand in a well-lit position (but no direct sunlight).
Temperatures of 18-21°C are ideal for rapid and optimum germination. But these seeds are easy to germinate.

Continue to keep the punnet consistently moist by misting regularly with a spray water-bottle.

Seedlings begin to emerge in approx. 14-28 days, but do not discard the punnet too quickly, as these seeds will naturally continue to emerge over a period of time.

Once the seedlings have developed their first set of true leaves, then prick them out into small pots and grow on to plant out into the garden when ready. Aster divaricatus is a long lived and hardy perennial once established in the garden.

If the seeds are shy to germinate, then wrap the moist sown punnet in cling-wrap and place in the fridge (not freezer) for 4-6 weeks. Then remove, unwrap, thoroughly moisten and return to the well-lit position at 18-21 days.

Seed Count: 40 seeds per pack approx.
(We always aim to exceed the stated seed count, and give a generous serve).

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