Lady Aster here to talk about my namesake, the bright and lovely Matsumoto Aster.
The
Matsumoto Aster, also known as the
Japanese Aster (Callistephus), features lengthy, sturdy stems topped with incredibly soft, brightly colored petals. The long-lasting flowers come in colors of red, hot pink, pink, purple, lavender, and bi-color which surround a rich, yellow center; an arrangement reminiscent of a crown or a star.
Matsumoto Asters are fun to grow, and unlike our tulips, irises, and lilies
—which we pick while still in the bud
—we let asters grow until they show full color. Another difference between Matsumotos and the previously mentioned bulb flowers is that asters are grown from rooted seed, which requires no pre-cooling before planting, saving us time and cooler space.
Typically, asters are a late summer/early fall variety, but we use the mild, coastal climate of our Oxnard Farm in Southern California in combination with our carefully organized hoop house program to grow them year-round. The warmth and light of our hoop houses encourages long stem lengths and formation of buds; when we're ready for the final period of development (flowering), we shorten the amount of time they're exposed to light. Soon after, the buds flower, bringing their own bright light into the world.
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| Growing Matsumotos in Hoops |
The entire growing process from seedling to flower takes approximately 10-15 weeks to complete. We know they're ready when their stem length is at least 22-24" tall, and their blooms are showing full color.
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| Freshly picked Matsumotos |
We also utilize the practice of crop rotation to maintain the quality of our soil as well as improve the amount of flowers we get out of every crop. Once a year we rotate our asters with another crop, and this promotes the restoration of essential nutrients in the soil. It's hard work, but worth it for the land and our flowers.
We've been growing Matsumoto Asters now for well over a decade and our experience shows in the final product. Our buyers love the long stems and super-bright, big blooms that come out of our Oxnard Farm, and we love the challenge of keeping the Matsumoto Market on its toes!
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| Harvest Time |
Asters bring a cheerful vibrancy and focal punch to any flower arrangement or bouquet (and they also look amazing on their own). Their long vase life and variety of colors make them a popular item for floral designers, wedding bouquets, and basically for any arrangement that needs a touch of bright whimsy.
What can you do with a bouquet of these bright stars?
