Herb: Michaelmas Daisy


Latin name: Aster novi-belgii


Family: Compositae



Description of the plant:



Plant:
Perennial


Height:
120 cm
(4 feet)

Flowering:
September
to October

Habitat of Michaelmas Daisy:

Damp thickets, meadows and shores, usually within 100 miles of the sea.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - surface sow in spring in a cold frame. Do not allow the compost to become dry. Pre-chilling the seed for two weeks can improve germination rates. Germination usually takes place within 2 weeks at 20°C. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. Division in spring or autumn. Very easy, larger divisions can be planted straight into their permanent positions whist smaller clumps are best potted up and kept in a cold frame until they are growing away well. Basal cuttings in late spring. Harvest the shoots when they are about 10 - 15cm long with plenty of underground stem. Pot them up into individual pots and keep them in light shade in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer.

Cultivation of Michaelmas Daisy:

Damp thickets, meadows and shores, usually within 100 miles of the sea.

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Aster novi-belgii:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.