Chinese Aster or China aster Flamingo at sunset (Callistephus Chinensis) seeds

If you have not tried china asters before, you are in for a treat! This type of aster grows the most beautiful flowers you can imagine. If you are already a fan of chinese atser than you will love this new variety called flamingo at sunset. The flowers are a mix of pink and orange. A big improvement is the sturdyness stems. This makes is not only great for the garden but also for bouquets. Flowers easily grow the size of your hand!

Plant information you need to know before you start your seeds

Plant type: hardy to half-hardy annual
Height: flowers grow 100 centimeters tall
Position: prefers full sun but will also flower in partial shade
Planting time: start sowing from 8-10 weeks before the last frost in seed trays or pots
Bloom time: starts 110- 120 days after sowing. Sow seeds early if your frost-free period is short!
Spacing: 25-30 centimeters between each plant
Germination: Takes 7-14 days in temperatures of 15-20°C
Pinching: No it is not needed but you can do it.
Flowers: August to October, depending on the weather
Pollinator-friendly: double flowers are more difficult to pollinate
Recommended seed tray or pot: Start in smaller cell-size seed trays or module tray and pot up
The package contains: 50 seeds

How to grow Chinese aster Flamingo at sunset from seed

Growing annual asters from seed is not difficult. It is preferable to start the seeds in late winter until early spring in module trays in a greenhouse or on a windowsill. While you can direct sow them in April, we have never tried this method and can therefore not recommend it. Covering the seeds is not necessary. Seedlings emerge quickly, but the plants grow rather slowly. You can plant seedlings out from the end of April, once the plants have been hardened off. Staking is required to support the large flowers. To prevent Fusarium Wilt, rotate their location in the garden. The plants start to flower around 100 days after sowing and will continue to produce flowers until the beginning of autumn.

The flowers make excellent cut flowers due to their strength. Pick them when the flowers have opened, but you cannot see the yellow heart of the flower yet. Picking the flowers too early might cause them to wilt. When you pick flowers from the garden at the right stage, they easily last for 10 days!