Aster amellus 'Sonia'

RHS Plant Profile
Italian aster 'Sonia'

Save a plant

Where do you want to save Aster amellus 'Sonia'?

Plants I own
Wishlist
Go to My Plants

Synonyms

Aster 'Sonia'

Plants for pollinators
Herbaceous Perennial
Buy this from Plant Nurseries
1 Suppliers

A compact, upright, bushy herbaceous perennial with lance-shaped, dark grey-green leaves and loose clusters of rose-pink flower heads with yellow centres from late summer into autumn

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
1–2 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Clay Loam Sand
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H7

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Asteraceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Clump forming, Columnar upright
Genus
Aster can be perennials, annuals or subshrubs, mostly with narrow leaves, and solitary or clustered, daisy-like flowers
Name Status
Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in well-drained, moderately fertile soil in an open, sunny position. Mildew free, but like all Aster amellus needs good winter drainage. See aster cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by division or root softwood basal cuttings in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Cut flowers
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Underplanting of roses and shrubs

Pruning

Deadhead spent flowers to tidy, cut back stem close to the ground in late autumn or beginning of spring before the new shoots emerge

Pests

May be susceptible to leaf and bud eelworms, slugs and snails

Diseases

May be susceptible to Fusarium wilt, Powdery mildews and grey moulds