China aster OR Callistephus chinensis Chinese

Annual plant family Asteraceae . It comes from the Eastern and Northern China, Japan and the Far East . Covered with short stiff hairs erect stems form a compressed or spreading shrub height of 15 - 80 cm . Fibrous root system . The lower leaves are broadly oval or lanceolate, with toothed or crenate margin, upper- Elongated, almost entire . Inflorescence - a basket consisting of two types of flowers: central - tubular and edge - reed (correct-false-reed) . The diameter of the flower clusters of 3 to 15 cm or more . Fruit - narrowly - or shirokoklinovidnaya achene . Seeds remain viable for 3 years . 1 g of seeds produced 200 plants .

To preserve the pureness needed spatial isolation of at least 5 m . Seeds harvested when the inflorescences appear characteristic greyish bloom .

Separate groups of varieties vary in shape and size and inflorescence flowers, as well as the shape and height of the bush varieties within groups differ chieflycolor of inflorescences, which happens from pure white to dark purple and dark red in various shades . There are varieties of yellow and cream color .