Aster Giants of California
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Description
China Aster 'Giants of California' Seeds
If you want cut flowers that look like they came from a high-end florist, 'Giants of California' is the variety to choose! Bred for sheer scale in Santa Maria, California, specifically for the professional cut flower trade, this is the giant of the Aster world. It produces enormous, fully double blooms up to 12cm (nearly 5 inches!) across that look like shaggy, exotic Chrysanthemums with that distinctive "ostrich plume" petal structure—layers upon layers of feathery, incurved petals creating a luxuriously full, three-dimensional flower head that's absolutely breath taking.
The stems are exceptionally long and sturdy (60-70cm), holding those massive heavy heads upright without drooping—a crucial trait for cutting gardens where weak stems are utterly useless! The mix delivers a sophisticated palette of rose-pink, violet-purple, soft peach, deep crimson-red, and pure white—refined, harmonious colours that work beautifully together in bouquets and borders. Blooming late in the season (August to October), 'Giants of California' provides that crucial "second wind of colour" when the rest of the garden is starting to tire, ensuring your borders and vases remain spectacular right up until the first hard frosts. This is a Half-Hardy Annual that's remarkably easy to grow once you master the indoor sowing technique. With an incredible vase life of up to 2 weeks in a cool room (far longer than most annuals!), exceptional stem length and strength, huge flower size, and that prestigious Fleuroselect Quality Mark (awarded for outstanding garden performance and uniformity), 'Giants of California' is simply unbeatable for cutting gardens, florist-quality arrangements, cottage garden borders, and late-season pollinator support.
Delivery
The seeds will be dispatched direct to you by Bishy Barnabees. Please allow up to 5 days for delivery.
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🌿 Understanding the Plant
Callistephus chinensis 'Giants of California' is a robust Half-Hardy Annual (H2). Originating from professional breeding programs in Santa Maria, California, this variety represents the pinnacle of China Aster development. Biologically, it is an annual species native to China and Korea, meaning it completes its life cycle within a single summer, providing a fresh, disease-free display each year.
The "Giant" Morphology: The defining trait of this variety is its sheer scale. It possesses a taller architecture (60-75cm) and larger floral diameter (12cm) than standard cottage varieties. The "Ostrich Plume" structure is botanical: the ray florets are elongated and loosely incurved, creating a shaggy, multi-layered volume that is prized by professional florists for wedding and event arrangements.
Disease Management: China Asters are susceptible to Aster Wilt (Fusarium). To ensure high performance, always practice crop rotation: avoid planting Asters in the same soil for two consecutive years. This simple biological management strategy significantly reduces soil-borne pathogen levels and ensures your 'Giants' reach their maximum potential.
🌱 Growing Guide
China Asters require consistent warmth to break dormancy and must be protected from all frost until the summer months.
How to Sow:
Sow indoors from March to April. Surface sow the seeds onto moist seed compost and cover with a very fine sprinkling (3mm) of vermiculite; China Asters require moisture-retentive covering but must not be buried deeply. Maintain a temperature of 18-21°C. Germination is reliable, typically occurring within 10-14 days.
Where to Plant:
They demand full sun to reach their peak colour intensity and thrive in rich, fertile, well-drained soil. Before planting, incorporate well-rotted organic matter to provide the high nutrient levels required for such large blooms. Space plants 30cm apart to ensure optimal air circulation—this is a critical preventative measure against fungal foliar diseases. Only plant out in late May or June once all risk of frost has passed.
Ongoing Care:
The heads of 'Giants of California' are heavy with petals and require sturdy support. In windy gardens, horizontal netting (installed when plants are 20cm tall) or bamboo canes are essential to ensure poker-straight stems for the vase. Regular picking of stems—or diligent deadheading—prevents the plant from setting seed and signals it to continue producing fresh, shaggy buds until the first hard frosts of autumn.
📋 Plant Specifications
| Botanical Name | Callistephus chinensis 'Giants of California' |
| Common Name | Giant China Aster |
| Plant Type | Half-Hardy Annual |
| Hardiness | H2 (Frost sensitive) |
| Light Requirements | Full Sun ☀️ |
| Height | 60cm - 75cm (Statuesque & Tall) |
| Spread | 30cm |
| Spacing | Plant 30cm apart |
| Flowering Period | August to October |
| Perfect For | ✂️ High-End 14-Day Cut Flowers 🍂 Late-Season "Autumn Injection" Colour 🐝 Critical Late-Summer Nectar Forage 🏅 Fleuroselect-Quality Performance |
| Seeds per Packet | Approximately 100 seeds |
🤝 Beautiful Garden Combinations
The statuesque, shaggy heads of 'Giants of California' work spectacularly with focal partners from our available range:
- 🌼 Rudbeckia 'Marmalade': The Autumn Glow. A classic "Harvest Festival" combination. The golden-yellow daisies of Rudbeckia provide a simple, radiant counterpoint to the complex, fluffy violet and crimson Aster plumes. Both are peak performers in September and provide essential support for late-season pollinators.
- 🌻 Zinnia 'Giants of California': The Late-Season Duo. For the ultimate cutting garden, pair these together. Zinnias bring warm sunrise tones and flatter structures that perfectly complement the shaggy, mop-head Aster plumes. Both possess an exceptional 14-day vase life, making them professional-grade florist ingredients.
📅 Sowing & Flowering Calendar
Sow indoors in spring for a spectacular harvest of shaggy, enormous heads from late summer through until the first autumn frosts.
✨ Vase Longevity Tip
China Asters possess an extraordinary vase life of up to 14 days. To maintain fresh stems, always remove the lower foliage to ensure no leaves are submerged in water, and refresh the water every 2-3 days to prevent bacterial growth.
🏆 Robust Garden Stamina
Known for its stamina and ability to thrive in rich, sunny environments, Callistephus chinensis 'Giants of California' is an essential choice for those wanting to create a romantic, low-maintenance garden that provides high-quality enormous blooms for the autumn vase.
Delivery & Returns
Delivery:
Delivery to mainland UK is calculated at checkout. For all other areas and large orders please ask for a quote. Orders will be sent by express next day delivery (DPD). They will be dispatched on a next working day service, with the exception of Ireland where it may take two days. Please allow up to 48 hours for delivery in the UK as the couriers may have already been and collected on the day you send your order in. Smaller orders for pouches, pockets, bags and pots may be sent via Royal Mail delivery. Please ensure you supply an email address and a mobile so you can be updated about your delivery. Should you have any problems with your delivery, please contact us at sales@naturalgrower.co.uk.Special Deliveries
Saturday or weekday morning deliveries can be arranged, but there will be a surcharge. Please contact us to request a price for either of these delivery services. If you need a parcel sending outside of the UK, please contact us for a quote.Returns:
If you are not completely happy with any product that you have ordered from us, you may return it to us in its original condition any time within 14 calendar days from the date of dispatch. Products must be returned in their original condition. Please contact us at sales@naturalgrower.co.uk to arrange a return. If you return a product by post, you will need to pay the costs of returning the product to us and obtain proof of posting.
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Slow release for sustained growth
Organic fertilisers are broken down slowly by organisms in the soil to produce a more measured, consistent, natural release of nutrients. This results in uniform growth with strong stems and leaves, unlike chemical fertilisers which provide a sudden boost resulting in tall lanky plants. Stronger plants are more resistant to disease, and with the presence of mycorrizhal fungi to strengthen the roots, the plants, soil and fungi all work together long-term to create the perfect natural eco-system.
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The organic matter in Natural Grower will help keep your soil or compost in optimum condition, retain moisture over the dry summer months and improve the health and structure of your soil. The presence of natural Mycorrhizal fungi in our products enhances root growth, enabling plants to extract nutrients and absorb water more efficiently from the soil or compost. By using our products you will be supporting and enhancing the natural eco-system in the soil.
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