Aster tongolensis Wartburgstern

Aster tongolensis 'Wartburgstern' is a herbaceous perennial plant that blooms, between May and June, in a small, compact tuft of very large campanulate violet-blue flower heads with a yellow-orange heart. It is also known as Aster Wartburg Star.

Standing at 30 cm (12in) tall, the Aster tongolensis 'Wartburgstern' brings life to the garden in late spring and early summer. Its short stems are adorned with dark green oval leaves in rosettes. Its small size makes this aster an ideal variety to enhance a rock garden or to fill pots and containers in combination with bellflowers, small sedums, and saxifrages. It is a hardy and very easy-to-grow plant that appreciates a sunny location and thrives in well-drained soil. You can also plant along the edge of a flower bed, accompanied by orange blooms and fine foliage grasses, for example.

Asters belong to the Asteraceae or Compositae family, which mainly includes herbaceous plants. It is a highly diversified genus that offers a multitude of species in a wide range of colours. The most well-known asters bloom in autumn, but some, like this one, bloom earlier in the season allowing gardeners to enjoy this beautiful countryside flower for a longer period of time.