Botanical Name: Callistephus
Family: Asteraceae
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Asterales
Tribe: Astereae
Genus: Callistephus
Species: C. chinensis
Synonyms:
*Callistemma Cass.
*Aster chinensis L.
*Brachyactis chinensis (L.) Bureau & Franch.
*Callistephus lacinians Borbás
*Amellus speciosus Gaterau
Common Names: China aster and Annual aster.
Chinese name: Cuiju.
Habitat: China aster is native to China and Korea. and it is cultivated worldwide as an ornamental plant in cottage gardens and as a cut flower.
This plant is a naturalized species in some areas outside of its native range (Indochina, Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand, etc.) and can be found on the edges of deciduous forests. It grows at altitudes from 300 to 2700 above mean sea level. As ornamental plant it thrives on fresh, nutrient-rich, easy-humus rich soils in warm humid air conditioning.
Description:
China aster is an annual or biennial herb with one erect, mostly unbranched stem growing 20 to 100 centimeters tall. The alternately arranged leaves vary in shape or size. The basal leaves usually fall away before flowering. Leaves around the middle of the stem are a few centimeters long and are borne on winged petioles. The blades have serrated edges. Leaves toward the top may have smooth edges. The large solitary flower head grows at the top of the stem and sometimes on branches. The head is lined with layers of phyllaries, those in the outer layer large and leaflike, measuring up to 3 centimeters long. The inner layer can be purple-tinged. The head contains one or two rings of ray florets, most often in shades of reddish purple. The flowering period is from August to October in the northern hemisphere.
Cultivation:
This species has been grown and bred extensively in cultivation. Cultivars are available with flowers of many colors, varying heights, and single and double heads. In the wild, they are purple in color. There are several cultivars with flowers of different colors. Cultivars with flowers of other colors were obtained in particular by hybridization. Cultivated varieties can have ray florets in most any color, including red, pink, blue, purple, and white. They are up to 3.5 centimeters long. There are many yellow disc florets in the center. The fruit is a rough-textured, glandular, purple-mottled cypsela that turns gray with age. It has a pappus composed of one outer layer of reddish scales and two inner layers of white bristles.
Medicinal Uses: The flower tastes little bitter, cold. It is used for Clearing liver and improving eyesight. Swelling pain induced by conjunctival. congestion.
Indications & Usage : Internal: decocting,
Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.
Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callistephus
http://libproject.hkbu.edu.hk/was40/detail?channelid=1288&lang=en&searchword=herb_id=D00987
