Aster fastigiatus
Family: Asteraceae or Compositae
What it is like
Aster fastigiatus is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.6 m (2ft). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 2. It is in flower from August to October, and the seeds ripen from September to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees, flies, beetles, Lepidoptera (Moths & Butterflies). The plant is self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist or wet soil.
Height (m): 0.6
Where it is found
Waste places, especially by rivers, in lowland C. and S. Japan. Swamps and wet grassland.
E. Asia - China, Japan, Korea, Siberia.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 2
Young leaves - boiled.
Medicine
Rating: 1
Febrifuge. The root is used in the treatment of dysentery, epilepsy, plague and to allay the effects of overeating.
Antispasmodic: Relaxes muscular spasms and cramps, calming nervous irritation.
Dysentery: Used in treating dysentery - an infection of the intestines that causes diarrhoea containing blood or mucus.
Epilepsy: Used in the treatment of Epilepsy - a disorder in which nerve cell activity in the brain is disturbed, causing seizures.
Febrifuge: Reduces fevers.
Other
Rating:
How it is grown
Succeeds in most good garden soils, preferring one that is well-drained and moisture retentive. Prefers a sunny position. There is some confusion over nomenclature, the reports below on the plants uses could refer to A. fastigiatus. Ledeb. non Fisch. which is a synonym for A. haupti. Ledeb. Most species in this genus seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits. Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus.
Propagating it: 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.
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness:
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Moist, wet