October Skies Aster

Size

With its purple-blue blooms and yellow centers, the October Skies Aster is a great perennial for adding some late-season color to the garden. Known botanically as Aster oblongifolius 'October Skies', this Michaelmas daisy produces a mass of small flowers in late summer on a low mound of green-gray foliage. As a compact perennial, it is ideal for many spaces and is loved by wildlife. As a deer-resistant plant, the October Skies Aster is ideal for any rural garden. It is a low-maintenance perennial and can even cope with drought-like conditions once established. Originally from North America, its foliage is fragrant when crushed, hence its common name of aromatic aster. October Skies is perfectly suited to growing in cottage garden schemes, herbaceous borders, and containers. October Skies Aster Care For the best blooms, grow October Skies Aster in full sun. It prefers well-drained soil and can even tolerate a poor substrate if need be. Even though this aster can handle dry conditions once mature, it will need frequent watering to help it establish. Fertilizing is not strictly necessary; however, a slow-release, balanced feed can be applied in spring to encourage a dazzling show. With a propensity to self-seed, this aster can be cut back to a few inches above soil level after blooming to prevent it from spreading. When grown in a container, more frequent watering will be required than if grown in the ground. Pots should be moved under cover to ride out the worst of the winter weather. October Skies Aster Spacing When mature, October Skies Aster can reach 12-18 inches high and 24-36 inches wide. If growing this aster in a group or a drift, space plants 24-36 inches for best performance.