Aster 'Wood's Pink'

Aster 'Wood's Pink': Clear Pink Daisies Hugging the Path

Clear pink daisies piled on glossy foliage that blushes burgundy in fall. 'Wood's Pink' is the bubblegum of the late border. POP IT.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Symphyotrichum 'Wood's Pink' (sold as Aster dumosus)
• Common Name: Dwarf Aster, Michaelmas Daisy
• Height: 30–40 cm (12–16 in)
• Spread: 40–50 cm (16–20 in)
• Flowers: Small clear pink to lilac-pink daisies with yellow centres, borne in masses at the stem tips
• Bloom Time: Late summer to fall (August to October)
• Foliage: Narrow, glossy dark green leaves that can take on burgundy tones in fall. Good mildew resistance.
• Features: Compact habit, good for cutting

Where to Plant: It's made for the front of a sunny border, along a walkway, or in groups where you want a low carpet of fall colour. It works in containers too, though in our winters potted plants are best moved into the ground for the cold months.

Companion Plants: Platycodon 'Astra Blue' adds blue flowers at 20 to 25 cm from June to August. Phlox 'Fashionably Early Crystal' brings white flowers at 70 to 80 cm through the summer. Pycnanthemum virginianum carries white flowers from July to September, leading right into the pink asters. All three grow in full sun or partial sun.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun or part sun in average, well-drained soil. It likes steady moisture and shouldn't dry out completely, especially in its first season. More sun means more flowers. Pinching the stems back by about a third in late spring and again in early summer gives a fuller mound, though it stays compact without it. Cut back to the ground in late fall or early spring. Divide every two or three years in spring to keep it flowering well.

History: The Wood's series is traced to Portland, Oregon nurseryman Edsel (Ed) Wood and was introduced by Lynn Caton. 'Wood's Pink' has good resistance to powdery mildew and is one of the Royal Horticultural Society's Plants for Pollinators.

Final Thoughts: Edge a path, fill a pot or cut a handful for the kitchen. Deer won't chew. BUBBLEGUM WITHOUT THE STICKY SHOES.