Asters provide pinpricks of light in a garden or arrangement. These blooms truly live up to the celestial origins of their name. The name 'aster' comes from the Greek word for 'star'. The blooms, though varied among species, are all fit to fulfill their namesakes. They have a bright center, with petals bursting out around. Thought the petals may change width, shape and color, this uniting feature makes the blooms stand out. In looks, the aster flowers generally resemble daisies, which is no surprise as they are related. They provide the same simple country charm as well. Larger flower heads are a necessity for country gardens. Smaller blooms grow clustered on long stems and add rustic charm to landscapes and arrangements. There are so many types of asters, their uses and looks are almost innumerable.
Asters are members of the Asteraceae family, as are daisies, chrysanthemums, dandelions and sunflowers. The genus Aster contains about 600 species, all of which are Old World natives. The New World species technically belong to other genera, but are still commonly called 'asters'. All members of the Asteraceae family have flower heads, meaning that what looks like a single flower is actually composed of different types of flowers. In the case of asters, most often tiny florets make up the center of their blooms, giving actually two different blossom and petal types. The flowers can have disc or ray florets. 'Disc' florets are tiny flower blooms in which the petals form a tube at the base, and then spread out from there. With 'ray' florets the petals spread out from a central point. The outer petals on an aster are ray petals, for example. These plants are notorious pollen makers, and as such bring bees and butterflies to the garden.
Asters today are one of the most commonly grown plants in the Americas, as well as many parts of Europe. Because there are so many varieties, which provide so many different looks, it is hard to imagine not finding one, or several, to fit every garden. Asters provide a wide variety of color to the garden as well. Among their hues, the most popular colors are shades of purple, yellow, white, and blue. Asters have been, and continue to grow in the wild in temperate regions (for most species). They have also been cultivated for use in arrangements and for use in gardens and landscaping. Wherever they are used, asters provide so many different ways to bring charm and simple grace to any setting.