How big does Bushy aster grow?

About 40 cm × 50 cm after ten years (height × width). Its ultimate size is 20–60 cm × 30–75 cm.

What soil does Bushy aster grow in?

It tolerates these soils: average garden soil, clay, sandy, calcareous.

Is Bushy aster hardy?

Hardy down to -34 °C (USDA zone 4, RHS H7). It gets through winter in every part of the country.

Is Bushy aster toxic to children?

No. Reliable sources list it as non-toxic to children.

When does Bushy aster flower?

Flowering: August–October, purple, pink, blue, white.

How much water does Bushy aster need?

Water need: medium. Drought tolerance: medium.

How much does Bushy aster cost?

It sells for roughly €4.70 to €5 in local shops, depending on size.

Bushy aster

Aster dumosus

Bushy aster (Aster dumosus) is a perennial that reaches 40 cm × 50 cm after ten years. Light: full sun, part shade. Hardy down to -34 °C. Drought tolerance: medium. Non-toxic to children. Sold in local shops from about €4.70.

Illustration of Bushy aster — An illustration of the typical shape of the mature plant, not a photo.

What it's good for, and what it isn't

A low, dense, cushion-forming perennial that is smothered in purple, pink, blue or white yellow-centred daisies from late summer to mid-autumn, when it is one of the last big feeding stops for butterflies and bees. Plant it in sun, in fertile soil that stays moist but never waterlogged, at the front of a border or in a pot. It creeps slowly outwards on its rootstock and is worth dividing every two or three years, otherwise the centre of the clump goes bare.

Watch out for

Its main problem is powdery mildew: in the warm, dry late summers of Central Europe the leaves often get a white powdery coating, turn brown from the base and drop, especially when the clump is congested, the soil dries out or it has had too much nitrogen. Choose a resistant cultivar, plant it in an open, sunny spot, water the base and not the leaves in dry spells, and thin and divide crowded clumps. Aster wilt also occurs, where single shoots suddenly wither; remove such a plant and do not replant asters in the same spot. Without division it tires within a few years and flowers less.

Key facts

Light: Full sun, Part shade
Water need: Medium
Care: Medium
Size after 10 years: 40 cm × 50 cm
Hardiness: down to -34 °C
Foliage: Deciduous
Flowering: J F M A M J J A S O N D August–October, purple, pink, blue, white

Group	Perennial
Light	Full sun, Part shade
Size after 10 years	40 cm × 50 cm
Ultimate size	20–60 cm × 30–75 cm
Hardiness	down to -34 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)
Soil	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy, Calcareous
Foliage	Deciduous
Flowering	August–October, purple, pink, blue, white
Water need	Medium
Drought tolerance	Medium
Maintenance	Medium
Root aggressiveness	Low
Suckering	no
Spreading	Medium
Distance from buildings	no data
Distance from paving	no data
Litter	not typical
Planting distance	30 cm
For dogs	no data
For cats	no data
For children	Non-toxic
Typical price	from about €4.70

Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor.

Sizes and prices available

The same plant is sold as a small pot and as a specimen several metres tall, and the price follows. Prices are rounded and for guidance only.

Size	Typical price
size not stated	approx. €4.70 – €5

Frequently asked questions

Data updated: October 8, 2026 · How our data is made

Appears in these lists

Ground cover plants Perennials for part shade Perennials for full sun Perennials for clay soil Plants that are non-toxic to children Perennials for pollinators Plants for containers

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