'Aster - Kingsize Appleblossom' Seeds
Callistephus chinensis
 
Annual to 100cm
Large double flowers on tall stems
Shades of pale apple blossom pink
Makes an excellent cut flower
Easy to grow for beds and borders
Bee and butterfly attracting
Edible
 
Upright, annual with vigorous growth to 100cm. Multi-branching  stems. Produces an abundance of large double blooms. The petals unfurl white, before changing to shades of pale apple blossom pink as they age. Easy to grow and low maintenance. Good for borders, mass plantings and as a cut flower. 
 
Edibile
The aster root has been used for centuries in Chinese medicine. The leaves and flowers of asters are edible and are purported to have a number of health benefits. The flowers and leaves can be eaten fresh or dried when eating aster plants. The Native American people harvested wild aster for a multitude of uses. The roots of the plant were used in soups and young leaves were cooked lightly and used as greens. Eating aster plants is no longer a common practice, but it does have its place among indigenous people. Today, while the edibility of aster flowers is not in question, they are more commonly used added to tea blends, eaten fresh in salads, or used as garnish.
 
Store the dried aster leaves and flowers in a sealed glass container out of sunlight. Use within one year.