Japanese aster vs New England aster

Japanese aster and New England aster are often considered for the same spot in the garden (flowers, pollinator friendly). The data below shows where they differ: size, hardiness, care, toxicity and price.

Japanese aster

Aster ageratoides 70 cm × 60 cm after 10 years

A very tough, late-flowering aster: from late summer until the frosts it is covered in a haze of pale lilac, white or pinkish flowers, in sun or…

Perennial

Full sun

Part shade

from about CZK 71

New England aster

Aster novae-angliae 1.3 m × 80 cm after 10 years

A tall, stiff-stemmed autumn perennial that carries masses of purple, pink or carmine flowers with yellow centres from late August to October, just…

Perennial

Full sun

from about CZK 160

Key differences

New England aster grows larger: 1.3 m × 80 cm after ten years, against 70 cm × 60 cm for Japanese aster (an estimate: sources differ).
New England aster is hardier: down to -34 °C, against -23 °C for Japanese aster.
Japanese aster needs less care than New England aster.
Japanese aster is cheaper: about CZK 71 at the size usually planted, against about CZK 160 for New England aster.

Which one to choose?

Japanese aster is the better choice if space is tight, you have little time for care or price matters.

New England aster is the better choice if the garden is cold or a frost pocket.

Watch out for

Japanese aster

In good soil the rhizomes run quickly and crowd out weaker perennials. Powdery mildew can appear in persistently hot, dry spots, although it is far more resistant than Michaelmas daisies. Slugs and snails may chew the young shoots.

New England aster

The lower third of the stems usually goes bare by late summer, and powdery mildew can appear on dry soil and in crowded, airless spots, though less than on New York aster. Aster wilt and stem rot can occur on heavy, poorly drained soil, and tall cultivars flop after rain without support. It also self-seeds and forms a slowly widening clump. In Central Europe several North American asters have escaped from gardens and become abundant on floodplains; the Hungarian nature conservation list of invasive plants does not name New England aster (asters appear there only at genus level, as Aster spp.), but slowly increasing escapes have been recorded in Hungary too, around abandoned gardens, vineyards and stream banks. So cut off the spent stems and do not dump dug-up clumps or garden waste in the wild.

The data side by side

Feature	Japanese aster	New England aster
Group	Perennial	Perennial
Size after 10 years	70 cm × 60 cm (uncertain)	1.3 m × 80 cm
Ultimate size	0.4–1 m × 30–60 cm (uncertain)	0.9–1.8 m × 60–90 cm
Growth rate	Fast	Medium (uncertain)
Light	Full sun, Part shade	Full sun
Soil	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy, Calcareous	Average garden soil, Clay
Hardiness	down to -23 °C (USDA 6, RHS H7)	down to -34 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)
Heat tolerance	Medium (uncertain)	no data
Foliage	Deciduous	Deciduous
Flowering	August–November, purple, white, pink	August–October, purple, pink, red
Water need	Medium	Medium
Drought tolerance	Medium	Medium
Maintenance	Low	Medium
Planting distance	40 cm	60 cm
For dogs	Non-toxic (uncertain)	Non-toxic (uncertain)
For cats	Non-toxic (uncertain)	Non-toxic (uncertain)
For children	Non-toxic	Non-toxic
Typical price	approx. CZK 71	approx. CZK 160

Prices are rounded, indicative values. Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor. Data updated: October 17, 2026

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