Aster novae-angliae ‘Purple Dome’ #1 (New England Aster)

‘Purple Dome’ is a cultivated variety of our native New England Aster (Aster novae-angliae). This selection is a very compact, symmetrically mounded plant that becomes covered in deep purple flowers throughout the fall. Its short stature makes it easily manageable for the front of the garden bed or border, and the abundance of eye-catching, vibrant flowers along with its bushy, uniform shape make it a great native and reliably hardy substitute for mums. This is an adaptable plant that is easily grown in most garden situations and it requires no staking, but pinching back the stems until mid-July will produce a denser, bushier specimen. Plants can be cut back after flowering to avoid any self-seeding. ‘Purple Dome’ was a Mt. Cuba Center Plant Introduction in 1989. Sources: Herbaceous Perennial Plants by Allan M. Armitage Missouri Botanical Garden Mt Cuba Center