Rough aster
Aster scaber

Family: Asteraceae

What it is like

A robust herb. It keeps growing from year to year. It grows 1-1.5 m high. The stems are smooth and 3-7 mm across. The stems develop from buds on the short rhizomes or underground stems. The leaves are rough to the touch and have teeth along the edge. The leaves at the base are triangle shaped and 5-12 cm long by 3-12 cm wide. The leaf stalk is longer than the blade. These leaves die off. The leaves on the stem are oval or heart shaped and 8-14 cm long by 6-14 cm wide. The upper leaves get smaller. The flowers are in heads that form loose clusters at the top of the plant.

There are about 250 Aster species.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. In China it grows on open slopes in valleys below 2,000 m above sea level. In Sichuan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, China, Japan, Korea, Russia

How it is used for food

The young leaves are lightly boiled or steamed and used like spinach. The leaves are dried then water added along with soy sauce and sesame oil.

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. It is a cultivated plant and dried leaves are sold in stores.

Edible parts

Leaves, vegetable

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Chamch'wi, Chamchwi, Cham-chui, Shirayama-giku

Synonyms

Doellingeria scabra (Thunb.) Nees;