Aster novi-belgii
Common Name :
Michaelmas Daisy, New York Daisy, Aster
Product Use :
Cut Flower
Pronunciation :
A-ster NO-vee BEL-gee-ee
Family Roots :
Member of the Asteraceae or Compositae (aster or sunflower) family.
Native to the Eastern US.
Related species include sunflower, daisy, gerbera and chrysanthemum.
Personality :
Flowers are daisy-like heads to 1 inch across with colored ray florets and yellow centers.
Stems leafy, branched, 2-3 feet long.
Plant is a herbaceous perennial, classed as a dicotyledon, leaves not parallel veined.
flowers not fragrant.
Availability :
Nearly year-round.
Flower Color :
White, pink, lavender, red and blue.
Decorative Life :
5-10 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 (about 20 drops [1/4 teaspoon] per quart).
Stiff hairs on leaves can be irritating to skin.
Storage Specifics :
32-38 degrees F. However, because of the many cultivars and even species, making broad storage temperature recommendations is difficult. For example, Aster bigelovii, more accurately known as Machaeranthera bigelovii, has an optimum storage temperature of 45 degrees F.
Tidbits :
Flower aficionados recommend constant "pinching back" of the leaves and petals to best preserve the flowers' form.
Latin for "star," after its star-like flower shape, the aster was originally recognized for its healing properties. It was said that, when beaten with old hogs grease, and applied, that aster was good for "the biting of a mad dogge".
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.
http://www.hoogasian.com/September-Birth-Month-Flower-Aster.html
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