Callistephus chinensis Plume d'Autruche Mix seeds - China Aster

The 'Plume d'Autruche Mix' Ostrich Feather Aster is a mix that brings together several varieties of Callistephus chinensis with large, beautifully tousled flowers in various colours. They resemble white, pink, red, purple, or mauve pompoms, depending on the plants. Carried by sturdy stems, they are as beautiful in flower beds as they are in vases. Chinese asters can be sown under glass or directly in the ground, in a sunny position, in fertile and well-drained soil. They are easy to grow, even for beginner gardeners.

The Ostrich Feather Aster, also known as the Chinese Aster, is a Chinese annual plant from the Asteraceae family with a very ancient cultivation that has produced and still produces many interesting varieties for flower beds and cut flowers. The plants in the 'Plume d'Autruche' mix reach a height of 50 cm in just a few months and are well-branched. Their stems bear oval, serrated leaves in a vibrant green colour. Flowering occurs for at least two months, from July to September, depending on the sowing date. It takes the form of inflorescences in heads, which we call flowers. Each one, 6 to 8 cm wide, is composed of multiple rows of ligules or thin petals surrounding a small centre of fertile florets in a golden yellow colour, visible only when the flower withers. The plant lives only one season, the time to bloom and produce seeds.

The Ostrich Feather Aster'Plume d'Autruche' is a flagship plant for flower beds and an excellent cut flower. It possesses both a rustic and romantic style that will appeal to many gardeners. Somewhat out of fashion, Chinese asters remain popular plants for their floribundity and ease of cultivation. Their flowers last a long time in a vase, and the plants bloom for a long time if care is taken to remove faded flowers. Even just for bouquets, sow them in the vegetable garden to obtain a profusion of flowers in late summer. Among the wide range of varieties, you will find flowers with various shapes, resembling chrysanthemums, with fine, very tapered petals, sometimes even tousled, in pompoms or single like those of the species. They come in many shades, ranging from white to yellow, through all shades of pink and purple. Dwarf cultivars will be perfect for edging and will thrive in balcony planters, while tall varieties with single or double flowers will enliven the back of flower beds. To accompany them in the garden, consider autumn asters, dahlias, and ornamental grasses, for example.