Vibrant Dome is anything but a natural wild flower. It has been crossed and recrossed to produce a garden plant. Its color is bright pink and its stature is shorter than the wild plant. Pruning is not required to create a garden sized plant.
Part of the Purple Dome series, it is a registered variety. Unauthorized propagation is forbidden. What will be my fate if I decide to move this plant to a more favorable location and it comes out of the ground in pieces?
The untidy appearance of the stems is likely the result of this plant's unruly neighbors. Crowded by cone flowers, the aster was restricted to a partial shade summer. We plan to move the aster into the open. It might then make a presentation worthy of registered plant.
This close up captures what is a somewhat rare appearance here. Late to bloom, frost usually ends this plant's season here before any blossoms have opened. Located down hill near the river, this plant escaped our September frost.
This naturally occurring mutation produces brighter lighter colored flowers than a typical wild New England Aster. These plants have leafless stems now much like the Vibrant Dome but here the unsightly condition is not the result of crowding. Roadside plants that were cut by the highway department mower are presently in flower on short green stems. With a little help from us, this plant should make an excellent tame garden specimen. We really intend to cut back our native asters twice next year. A plant this regal deserves better care.
1 comment:
I have this plant, too. It doesn't do as well in partial shade, but at least it blooms a little. Last year, mine was eaten by rabbits, so I had to protect it with lava rocks and chicken wire. It's blooming now, and looks very attractive with Blue Mistflower. Mine usually beats the frost--we usually have our first one in mid-October here (southeast of Madison).
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