Grape Crush brings a tidier look to fall asters, forming a large, very round mound packed with rich, dark purple flowers from early to mid fall. It has shown no flopping in trials, which is unusual for a New England aster.
Growing about two and a half feet tall and over three feet wide, it makes a strong finale for sunny borders, prairie plantings, rain gardens and containers. The flowers are an important late-season food source for bees and butterflies, and they are good for cutting.
What it looks like
Daisy-like flowers about 1 to 1.5 inches across with many narrow, rich dark purple rays around a golden yellow center, densely packed over the entire surface of the plant. Leaves are narrow, lance-shaped and dark green, clasping the stems. The plant is a large, very round, dense mound 26 to 30 inches tall and 40 to 44 inches wide. At peak bloom it is a solid dome of deep purple dotted with gold centers.
Growing it with lavender
Grape Crush wants richer, moister soil than lavender, so plant it in a nearby sunny border with better soil, where its deep purple fall flowers carry the purple theme long after lavender has finished.
Care
Grow in full sun in fertile, moisture-retentive soil and water during dry spells. Hardy in USDA zones 3-8. Divide every few years in spring to keep plants vigorous, and leave stems standing over winter for birds.
At a glance
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Botanical name: Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
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Flower color: Rich dark purple with golden centers
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Foliage: Dark green
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Growth habit: Large, very round, dense mound
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Mature size: 26–30 in tall × 40–44 in wide
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USDA hardiness zones: 3–8
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Light: full sun
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Bloom start: Early-September
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Peak bloom: Late-September
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Bloom pattern: Single Flush
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Deer resistance: Susceptible
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Pollinator value: Excellent
Sizes and shipping
Dormant bare-root plant, sold in boxes of 25 per variety (order in multiples of 25). Bare-root plants ship or are picked up March 1–May 31 only. They are soil-free, so they may ship to every state in that window. Dormant plants often show little or no top growth on arrival; plant or heel them in promptly.
Lavender companion · grow guide
Community Grower Report
