Callistephus

Callistephus Template:IPAc-en<ref>Sunset Western Garden Book, 1995:606–607</ref> is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae, containing the single species Callistephus chinensis. Its common names include China aster and annual aster.<ref name=grin>Template:GRIN</ref><ref name=fl>Gilman, E. F. and T. Howe. Callistephus chinensis. Fact Sheet FPS-94. University of Florida IFAS. 1999.</ref> It is native to China and Korea.<ref name=grin/><ref name=mobot>Callistephus chinensis. Missouri Botanical Garden.</ref> and it is cultivated worldwide as an ornamental plant in cottage gardens and as a cut flower.<ref name=w/><ref name=china>Callistephus chinensis. Flora of China.</ref>

Description

This is an annual or biennial plant with one erect, mostly unbranched stem growing Template:Cvt tall. The alternately arranged leaves vary in shape or size. The basal leaves usually fall away before flowering. Leaves around the middle of the stem are a few centimeters long and are borne on winged petioles. The blades have serrated edges. Leaves toward the top may have smooth edges. The large solitary flower head grows at the top of the stem and sometimes on branches. The head is lined with layers of phyllaries, those in the outer layer large and leaflike, measuring up to 3 centimeters long. The inner layer can be purple-tinged. The head contains one or two rings of ray florets, most often in shades of reddish purple.<ref>Li, H., T. Liu, T. Huang, T. Koyama and CE DeVol. 1979. Vascular Plants. Volume 6: 665 pp. In Fl. Taiwan. Epoch Publishing Co., Ltd., Taipei.</ref> The flowering period is from August to October in the northern hemisphere.<ref name=grin/>

Cultivation

This species has been grown and bred extensively in cultivation. Cultivars are available with flowers of many colors, varying heights, and single and double heads. In the wild, they are purple in color.<ref name=mobot/> There are several cultivars with flowers of different colors. Cultivars with flowers of other colors were obtained in particular by hybridization. Cultivated varieties can have ray florets in most any color, including red, pink, blue, purple, and white. They are up to 3.5 centimeters long. There are many yellow disc florets in the center. The fruit is a rough-textured, glandular, purple-mottled cypsela that turns gray with age. It has a pappus composed of one outer layer of reddish scales and two inner layers of white bristles.<ref name=china/><ref>Jean Trudel , Gardens and scenery: summer flowers , Saint-Laurent (Quebec), Livre-Loisirs Ltée, 65 p. Template:ISBN</ref>

It has been in cultivation in Europe since 1728 at the latest. In China, it has been cultivated for 2000 years.

Distribution

This plant is a naturalized species in some areas outside of its native range (Indochina, Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand, etc.) and can be found on the edges of deciduous forests.<ref name=w/> It grows at altitudes from 300 to 2700 above mean sea level. As an ornamental plant it thrives on fresh, nutrient-rich, easy-humus rich soils in warm humid air conditioning.<ref>David John Mabberley: Mabberley's Plant-Book. A portable dictionary of plants, their classification and uses . 3rd ed. Cambridge University Press 2008. Page 138. Template:ISBN</ref>

Pests and diseases

The plants are susceptible to fusarium wilt, a fungal disease. Some cultivars are more resistant to this than others. Pest insects can include leafhoppers, aphids, blister beetles, and the tarnished plant bug. The plant is also susceptible to mites.<ref name=fl/>

Gallery

• 과꽃 가까이.JPG

  In pink

• China Aster (Callistephus Chinensis).jpg

  In lilac

• Callistephus chinensis 0.5 R.jpg

  In yellow

• Acacia red (7774265346).jpg

  Red

• Acacia purple (7774266528).jpg

  Purple flowers

• Aster astrum.jpg

  Mix colours

• Callistephus chinensis (in a flowerbed) 02.jpg

  In a garden

• Flowers - Uncategorised Garden plants 86.JPG

  Caterpillar feeding on white flower

• Кировский район Донецка 120.jpg

  Natural habitat

• Callistephus chinensis 0.0 R.jpg

  Garden setting

• Callistephus chinensis 1.1 R.jpg

  Round, fluffy flower

• Aster de Chine (Pierre-Joseph Redouté 1833).jpg

  Aster de Chine (1833) by Pierre-Joseph Redouté

• The Soviet Union 1970 CPA 3946 stamp (China asters).jpg

  On a 1970 USSR postage stamp