Solidaster luteus Lemore

Solidaster luteus 'Lemore' is widely used in floristry, due to its dense panicles adorned with tiny lemon yellow daisies that are very long-lasting in a vase. This plant is a particularly floriferous hybrid that combines the qualities of its two parents, Canada goldenrod and Aster ptarmicoides. It blooms all summer with a multitude of delightful little stars, gathered in long bouquets above its narrow, vibrant green foliage. This beautiful plant is also an excellent garden perennial, hardy and easy to grow in ordinary, moist soil.

Solidaster is a spontaneous intergeneric hybrid, discovered in a French nursery in 1910. Solidaster luteus, also known as Aster luteus or (x) Solidaster hybridus, has inherited the flowers of the Aster and the colour of the Solidago. Like its two parents, this sturdy perennial belongs to the aster family. The 'Lemore' variety forms a clump of branched and leafy stems, 80 cm (32in) to 1 m (3ft) high with a spread of 30 cm (12in). It flowers abundantly from July to September-October, with light yellow inflorescences. These are dense, flat paniculate corymbs, composed of tiny aster-shaped heads. The central discs as well as the ray florets open lemon-yellow and then become pale yellow, on the branched ends of downy stems. The foliage consists of alternate, lanceolate, narrow, and vibrant green leaves. This solidaster disappears in late autumn and reappears in spring.

Solidasters are appreciated for their late flowering which helps to provide very beautiful floral compositions at the end of the season. They are robust plants that only dislike excessive heat and drought, which can cause powdery mildew on the foliage. In the garden, Solidaster 'Lemore' can be planted in groups of three plants, next to blue asters (Aster lævis Calliope) or mauve asters (Aster turbinellus), cosmos, 'Mainacht' sage, Crambe cordifolia, and veronicas (Veronica incana, Veronica longifolia), for example. It also pairs well with the purple or red foliage of Japanese maples or Black Lace elderberry.