tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615802895251532423.post5294691532590111786..comments2024-03-27T03:14:31.886-07:00Comments on Native Florida Wildflowers: Georgia aster - Symphyotrichum georgianumHawthorn Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10879920186201900051noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615802895251532423.post-51264903005970309082013-01-09T06:09:43.077-08:002013-01-09T06:09:43.077-08:00Thanks to "Anonymous" for posting this. ...Thanks to "Anonymous" for posting this. As he/she correctly points out, we don't have to go with what's natural in a plant when it becomes part of our garden, and judicious pruning helps a lot of otherwise lanky plants - Vernonias, for example. Since I posted this 2 years ago, I have found Georgia aster to do quite well in our Pinellas landscape. It suckers outward, but close to the main stem - so it forms nice dense clumps over the years. My friend, author, and avid gardener, Rufino Osorio has been growing this in his Broward County landscape with good results as well. Give this species the right conditions and it can be grown statewide. It is also starting to be offered by a number of nursery sources.Hawthorn Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10879920186201900051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615802895251532423.post-67900948245073981022013-01-05T16:19:43.653-08:002013-01-05T16:19:43.653-08:00Georgia Aster can be heavily pruned during the gro...Georgia Aster can be heavily pruned during the growing season to increase density and the ability of the stems to remain erect. The comments on foliage above are correct, but experience shows the general appearance is improved by periodically cutting it back during the growing season, stopping in September. An added benefit of cutting this plant back is more and tightly spaced flowers. It also appears that cutting the plants back may encourage spreading. The plants are self sterile and do not reliably produce viable seeds which may be a contributor to their decline. This is a very striking plant in bloom, but does not bloom until late fall, usually in November.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615802895251532423.post-18796513392816345182010-11-07T07:28:31.364-08:002010-11-07T07:28:31.364-08:00Wow! A stunning blue! I found you accidentally whi...Wow! A stunning blue! I found you accidentally while research Florida Liatris species. Great work. Great site.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com