Hello, We just moved to Oliver, BC in the South Okanagan last December from the Lower Mainland. I'm loving our huge new backyard and all the gardens. I'm slowly learning about all the plants in the garden, but one has me and everyone I've asked stumped. It's a low speading plant that is located in a rock garden in our south-facing backyard. Small pale purple flowers appeared at the beginning of July. From May 'til July it has spread over the whole left side of my garden as shown in the pictures. Can anyone help me figure out what the plant is? Many thanks.
I thought it might be a type of aster, but it's very low - about 6 - 8 inches tall with very few flowers. All three pictures are of the same plant. All the information I can find on asters says they're taller, less bushy plants.
Did you plant these this year? Are they perennials? Did you just aquire the property? I have asters of the same color, but they're a relatively newer variety. They are annuals. Most perennial asters have to be pinched back in July just like Mums as far as I know otherwise they get too leggy. Some people stake them for tidyness in the garden to keep them upright.
Annual asters are Callistephus chinensis. This is a perennial aster. Dwarf kinds do not require pinching to remain bushy.
