Apricot Aster brings warm, peachy tones to any garden or bouquet, offering the full, romantic presence of peonies and mums without demanding their fussy care. This tall annual cultivar grows 24 to 48 inches and produces abundant blooms, each reaching 2 to 3 inches across, over a 110 to 120 day growing season. Hardy from zones 2 to 11, it thrives in full sun with moderate water and adapts well to containers, making it accessible to nearly any gardener willing to give it space to stretch.
Full Sun
Moderate
2-11
48in H x ?in W
—
Moderate
Hover over chart points for details
Apricot Aster generates multiple thick stems per plant, often producing a dozen or more branches that each carry gorgeous peach-toned flowers. The blooms are substantial and long-lasting once cut, holding their delicate color and form in arrangements for an impressive length of time. What distinguishes this cultivar is its vigorous, upright habit and the sheer abundance of flowers it produces; a single plant can supply weeks of fresh cut flowers without depleting its show.
Apricot Aster excels as a cut flower, providing substantial, long-stemmed blooms for fresh arrangements and bouquets. The height and prolific branching make it equally valuable in the garden border, where it creates a soft, romantic backdrop and continuous color throughout the growing season. It also thrives in containers, allowing apartment gardeners and those with limited space to enjoy its peachy elegance on patios or balconies.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Sow seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost date. Keep soil temperature between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit for reliable germination. Cover seeds lightly or leave exposed to light, as Callistephus chinensis seeds germinate best with some light exposure. Maintain consistent moisture until seedlings emerge.
Harden off seedlings over 7 to 10 days by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions before transplanting. Move seedlings outdoors after the last frost date when soil has warmed and nighttime temperatures stay above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Space plants 12 to 18 inches apart in full sun locations.
Direct sow seeds after all danger of frost has passed and soil has warmed to at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Scatter seeds on prepared soil and press lightly into place, leaving them partially exposed to light. Keep soil moist until germination occurs in 7 to 14 days.
Cut flowers in early morning when stems are fully hydrated and blooms are just beginning to open; flowers will continue to open in the vase over the next several days. Harvest when petals are fully colored but still firm to the touch. Re-cut stems at a 45-degree angle and place immediately in clean water with floral preservative to extend vase life significantly. Each plant produces multiple cuttable stems over the season, so harvest regularly to encourage more blooms.
Pinch out the growing tip when seedlings reach 4 to 6 inches tall to encourage branching and a fuller, bushier plant with more stems for cutting. This single step dramatically increases flower production. After the first flush of blooms fades, deadheading spent flowers promotes continued blooming throughout the season.
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.