Aster 'Purple Dome'

Aster 'Purple Dome': Purple Domes That Never Need a Stake

Deep royal purple daisies so thick they bury the whole mound, like a planetarium that decided to bloom. 'Purple Dome' needs no staking. THE CEILING IS PURPLE AND THE BEES ARE STARGAZING.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Symphyotrichum novae-angliae 'Purple Dome' (sold as Aster novae-angliae)
• Common Name: New England Aster
• Height: 45–60 cm (1.5–2 ft)
• Spread: 60–90 cm (2–3 ft)
• Flowers: Deep royal purple daisies with yellow centres, up to about 4 cm (1.5 in) across, produced heavily enough to cover the plant
• Bloom Time: Late summer to early fall (August to October)
• Foliage: Dark green, narrow leaves on a dense, mounded clump
• Features: Needs no staking

Where to Plant: Its compact size makes it a front-of-border plant. Use it to edge a sunny bed, fill gaps between earlier perennials, or plant a row for a purple ribbon in fall. It handles average to moist soil, including clay, as long as water doesn't sit all winter.

Companion Plants: Sempervivum 'Kalinda' makes neat rosettes at the front with pink flowers from June to August. Iris 'Clarence' adds upright leaves and two-tone flowers in June, often reblooming in September alongside the asters. Helictotrichon 'Sapphire' brings a fine-textured grass at 60 to 100 cm. All three like full sun and good drainage.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun in average, well-drained soil that stays evenly moist. Water regularly through the first season and during dry spells after that. Like most New England asters, it can get some powdery mildew on the lower leaves late in the season, so give it good air flow and water at the base instead of over the top. No pinching is needed to keep its shape. Cut stems back in late fall or leave them for winter and cut in early spring. Divide every three or four years in spring to keep it vigorous.

History: 'Purple Dome' was introduced by the Mt. Cuba Center in Delaware after being found as a naturally compact plant in Pennsylvania. Its parent species, New England aster, is native across much of eastern North America, including southern Ontario and Quebec.

Final Thoughts: Plant a row along the walk and enjoy the late season show. Easy to grow, easy to love. ROUND, PROUD AND READY FOR FALL.