Flowers A to Z - XSolidaster

XSolidaster

Botanical Name :	X Solidaster luteus
Common Name :	Solidaster, Aster, Golden Solidaster
Product Use :	Cut Flower
Pronunciation :	so-li-DAS-ter LOO-tee-us
Family Roots :	Member of Asteraceae or Compositae (aster family). Native of France. Common relatives include sunflower, daisy, gerbera, chrysanthemum and lettuce.
Personality :	Many small daisy-like flowers in loose, branching clusters at stem ends. Stems leafy, 18-24 inches long. Plant is a herbaceous perennial, classed as a dicotyledon, leaves not parallel veined. No fragrance.
Availability :	Nearly year-round.
Flower Color :	Yellow.
Decorative Life :	7-10 days.
Ethylene Sensitivity :	Low
Post Harvest Care Opportunities :	Remove bottom leaves if present, recut stems under water and place in plain tap water containing regular household bleach at 20 drops (1/4 teaspoon) per quart. Can be stored dry 5-6 days at 36-41 F.
Storage Specifics :	32-38 degrees F.
Tidbits :	Solidaster is an intergeneric hybrid, a cross between Aster and Solidago (goldenrod) originating in Lyon, France at the Leonard Lille Nursery in 1910. The "X" in front of the genus name indicates that it is a cross between two genera. The specific epithet name "luteus" means yellow, in reference to the flower color. Is sometimes mistakenly identified as Solidago missouriensis. The Compositae or aster family is vast, with over 20,000 species, and is also one of the most developed families. It was named Compositae because the flowers are actually a "composite" of many individual flowers into one head. Hence, when children pull one "petal" off at a time, saying "she/he loves me, loves me not", they are actually removing a complete flower, not just a petal. Good as a filler. See More at Hoogasian Flowers A to Z: http://www.hoogasian.com/FlowersAtoZ.html