Symphyotrichum novae-angliae 'Alma Potchke'
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Alma Potschke is the hot pink New England aster, and the color is genuinely loud: a saturated cerise that reads from across a yard. This selection of the native Symphyotrichum novae-angliae grows 30 to 40 inches tall and 18 to 24 inches wide in full sun to part sun, hardy from Zone 3 through Zone 8, and blooms the first season after planting.
Flowering runs from late summer into mid fall, later than most perennials and right when monarchs are moving south. Bees come to it steadily through the bloom, and the foliage feeds pearl crescent and silvery checkerspot caterpillars.
The stems are vigorous and this one gets tall enough to lean in rich soil or part shade. Cutting the plant back by about half in early June, before the flower buds set, gives a shorter and sturdier plant with more branches and more flowers. The lower leaves drop as the season goes, so it looks better with something planted in front.
New England asters want moist soil and take wet ground better than most perennials. Full sun gives the heaviest bloom and the best mildew resistance, and crowding or dry roots make mildew worse. Deer generally leave it alone.
Height 30"- 40" Spread 18"- 24"
USDA Hardiness Zones 3-8
Lowest Temperatures -40°F to -30°F
Full sun to part sun- at least 4 hours direct sun per day
Pearl Crescent, Silvery Checkerspot
AL, AR, CO, CT, DC, DE, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY
