Aster tripolium
| Aster tripolium | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 6 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Self Pollinated | |
| Height: | 3' |
| Blooms: | Mid Summer-Mid Fall |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Aster tripolium (common name: sea aster)
Propagation: Seed - surface sow in spring in a cold frame. Do not allow the compost to become dry. Pre-chilling the seed for two weeks can improve germination rates[1]. Germination usually takes place within 2 weeks at 20°c[1]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer.
Cultivation: Succeeds in most good garden soils[2], preferring one that is well-drained and moisture retentive[3]. Prefers a sunny position[3].
This species tends to be a short-lived perennial[4].
Most species in this genus seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits[5].
Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus[3].
Range: Coastal areas of Europe, including Britain, N. Africa and saline inland areas of Europe and C. Asia.
Habitat: Salt marshes and maritime cliffs[4].
Edibility: Leaves and stems - the somewhat fleshy leaves are used to make pickles or are cooked[6][7][8]. A sweet taste[9]. The stem contains about 8.4% ash, whilst the leaf is 9% ash - this is mainly sodium chloride[9].
Medicinal: Ophthalmic[10].
Pollinators: Bees, flies, beetles, lepidoptera, self
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Rice, Graham. Growing from Seed Volume 2. Thompson and Morgan, 1988.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Clapham, Arthur and Tom Tootin, Edmund Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press, 1962.
- ↑ Thomas, Graham. Perennial Garden Plants. J. M. Dent & Sons, 1990.
- ↑ Hedrick, Ulysses. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications, 1972.
- ↑ Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Read, Bernard. Famine Foods Listed in the Chiu Huang Pen Ts'ao. Taipei Southern Materials Centre, 1977.
- ↑ Polunin, Oleg. Flowers of Europe. Oxford University Press, 1969.