What is the difference between a mum and an aster

If you'd like to try something new and branch out into the broader world of fall flowers , check out fall-blooming asters, a fresh alternative to mums. There are lots of asters to choose from come late summer and fall, and they also have a wide shade range.

According to The New Southern Living Garden Book, "The flowers come in white or shades of blue, red, pink, lavender, or purple, mostly with yellow centers; they bloom in late summer to early fall. While they work in pots, you can easily treat them as perennials, which will allow you to look forward to their blooms year after year.

One of the last asters to bloom in autumn is aromatic aster Symphyotrichum oblongifolium, Aster oblongifolius. It's native to the South, particularly in places like Missouri and Kentucky, and grows to 24 inches tall, sending its fragrance out and its purple, blue, or pink blooms up into the air.

It's lovely grown in pots but can also be used in beds and edging. Keep the vase full of water and your flowers will provide more than a week of enjoyment. Learn More. Your browser doesn't support the HTML5 video tag. Audio Fermenting Vegetables. Audio Chrysanthemum Beer. Audio Creative Bulb Combos. Audio Pansy Planter. Audio Growing Black-eyed Susans Rudbeckias. Choose a sunny bed in the garden — less than full sun will result in slender, spindly stems that will fall over under the weight of the blooms.

In addition, shade can make the plant susceptible to foliar diseases. The mum is also a short-day plant, reports Illinois University Extension , which means that it flowers when the days get shorter. So, when choosing a planting spot, be sure to situate these plants at least 20 feet from street lights or any other night lights to avoid lengthening the daylight hours.

Mums are usually shallow-rooted and prefer well-drained, fertile soil with a slightly acidic pH, about 5. They do poorly in wet, mucky locations, which results in fewer flowers and unhealthy plant growth. Set the plants about 18 to 24 inches apart, so they can grow freely into the large mound they are so famous for. Provide a regular, balanced fertilizer in spring and summer, something like , recommends Fine Gardening. Water regularly and deeply.

Most importantly, pinch back their stems in spring and summer to force new lateral growth and a bushier plant. Plants that are not pinched in this way will bloom but will have a looser structure and fewer flowers.