A Bouquet of Stars

For my part I know nothing with any certainty,
But the sight of the stars makes me dream.
                                                                         -Vincent Van Gogh

Holiday time is upon us—I’ve set up camp in Sun Valley’s shipping warehouse; a thermos of coffee in one hand and a gingerbread cookie in the other.  I’ve been able to witness the change of seasons simply through watching the colors of our fresh bouquets change from autumn’s darling oranges and yellows, to the rich December hues of red, green, and gold.

The smell of evergreen is in the air and amidst the cold, a particularly bright and happy flower has caught my eye—the Red Aster Matsumoto.

Matsumotos have long-lasting flower heads whose soft petals grow in single, double, or semi-double layers.

This vibrant flower, also known as the Japanese Aster (Callistephus) has lengthy, sturdy stems paired with layers of long-lasting, soft flowers.  And I mean soft.  Rub-your-face-in-them-soft.   I’ve taken a bouquet to brighten up my winter hovel, and its presence has inspired me to step outside and explore this cheerful flower’s origin.

This flowering plant has an incredible height range, anywhere from 10 inches to 4 feet.

The history of this long-stemmed annual is noteworthy—it is native to the eastern regions of Asia, and the name Aster hails from the Latin word for “star,” while its scientific name, Callistephus, comes from the Greek word for “beautiful crown.”  You can see why agronomists of old named it as they did—the flower’s snugly packed, thickly fringed petals that surrounds its rich, yellow center strongly resembles a star as well as a crown.  It’s enough to make me want to fashion a star-flower tiara for myself and parade around the farm, Queen of the Asters.

Matsumoto asters in various stages of bloom.

We grow these beauties in our sunny farms of Oxnard, where the naturally cool, coastal climate keeps the flowers happy and on-schedule, even during the colder months of winter.   Normally, asters are a strict late summer/early fall variety, but with our carefully organized hoop house program, our blooms are able to flourish year-round.

Unlike our bulb flowers (tulips, irises, and lilies), asters are grown from rooted seed, which requires no pre-cooling before planting.   Even without that additional cooling cycle, the entire growing process from seedling to flower takes approximately 10-15 weeks to complete. For more on how we grow Asters, see our interview with Sun Valley’s Aster Master, Gerritt.

Asters showing some color in the hoop houses of Oxnard

Asters show full color when they’re ready to be picked, providing us with some great eye candy.  Walking through the hoop houses in Oxnard, it is easy to feel lost among the sea of long-stemmed red, hot pink, pink, purple, lavender, and bi-colored blooms.

My favorite for this holiday season are the scarlet red asters—their brightly layered petals and gold centers are a cheery addition to any environment.

Freshly picked!

Asters bring liveliness and vibrancy to any flower arrangement, but they also shine brightly on their own.  Arrangement ideas include adding them to large holiday bouquets, or placing them in a tall vase on their own as a simple and happy floral piece.

So go on, check out our bouquets full of stars to brighten your day and add a touch of fun and whimsy to your holiday season.