Aster 'Wonder of Staffa'

Usage – Frikart’s aster is used (overused?) as a potted container plant on porches and decks. Many consider it to be one of the best of all herbaceous perennials. In the ground, it grows quickly into a 2-3 in (5-7.6 cm) mound of vibrant lavender-blue flowers. Its long blooming period makes Frikart’s aster a great source for cut flowers. In mild winter areas it blooms for months. Frikart’s aster is often used in the cottage garden, along pathways and massed in perennial borders.

Try to plant in a location that enjoys full sun and remember to water moderately. Keep in mind when planting that Wonder of Staffa is thought of as hardy, so Wonder of Staffa will tend to go dormant or grow slowly over the winter months.

Propagation: Frikart’s aster is propagated by division in the spring. Seeds are sometimes available, but these yield plants with a mixed bag of different purples and blues. It is likely that some growers, in their frenzy to keep up with demand from the discount garden centers, have propagated Frikart’s aster from seed, and you may not always get what the label says.

Light: Full sun.
Moisture: Water before the soil dries out completely. Frikart’s aster will rot if the soil drainage is not excellent.
Hardiness: USDA Zones 5 – 9. This hardy aster can take a light frost and keep on blooming. However, in zones 5 and 6 it needs protection in winter and should be mulched over. Dividing and cutting back seem to decrease winter hardiness, so wait until spring.

Ensure that temperatures are mild and all chance of frost has passed before planting out, as Wonder of Staffa is a hardy plant.

Frikart’s aster is a hybrid species created by Karl Frikart around 1920 at the Stafa Nursery in Switzerland, by cross-pollinating Aster amellus from eastern Europe with A. thomsonii from the Himalayas in Pakistan.