''Aster alpinus'', the alpine aster or blue alpine daisy, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, native to the mountains of Europe (including the Alps), with a subspecies native to Canada and the United States. This

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of t ...

perennial has purple, pink, or blue flowers in summer.

Description

''Aster alpinus'' is a caespitose herbaceous perennial that grows 10-35 cm tall. The bloom color may be blue, indigo, violet, white, or pink. In the UK this plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's

Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. History The Award of Garden Merit ...

. Leaves are untoothed, lanceolate-spatulate, and basal. The Latin specific epithet ''alpinus'' means alpine and from high mountains above the timber line.

Distribution and habitat

It grows very slowly in clay, silt, loam, silty clay, and sandy clay. Its minimum pH scale is 6 and maximum pH scale is 7.5. It grows erectly in a "single crown" form. ''Aster alpinus'' is native to the mountains of Europe such as the Alps and Pyrenees. It does better in generally cooler climates. Usually it is adapted to clay, silt, loam, silty clay, sandy clay, clay loam, silt loam, sandy loam, silty clay loam and sandy clay loam soils, and prefers low fertility. The plant can tolerate only a minimum temperature of -28 °C / -18.4F after the occurrence of cell damage. It can survive medium heat of fire and requires at least 90 frost free days for proper growth.

Ecology

It is herbaceous and attractive to bees, butterflies, and birds.

Conservation

NatureServe lists variety ''Aster alpinus'' var. ''vierhapperi'' as Secure Variety (T5) in Canada, but Critically Imperiled (S1) in Ontario and Vulnerable (S3) in Alberta. In the United States, it is Critically Imperiled (S1) in Colorado and Wyoming.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1342885 alpinus Alpine flora Flora of the Alps Flora of the United States Flora of the Rocky Mountains Garden plants of Europe Garden plants of North America Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Flora of the Carpathians Flora of the Pyrenees