Aster glehni var. glehni was collected in Japan in 2003 on the EJE expedition. This is a giant among the Asters, the very same genus that collects up all the well-known, traditionally recognised Michaelmas Daisies, ranging from red to purple. Collection notes listed this plant as found in Hokkaido amongst mixed forest where the dominant trees are Betula platyphylla and Picea jezoensis, and growing to 0.9m in height.
In the Garden at Edinburgh, where it is on the edge of a bed with tree canopy cover, it reaches in excess of 2m in height. The single stem shoots up to around 1.4m, dividing into flowering shoots at this stage. Grouped together en mass, the splash of white is a tremendous sight.
As the flowers fade, the seed capsules form. These are wind-borne and the typical composite form. This is a strong-growing plant with vigorous rhizomes, so plant with care in your garden.
Susanne Dybbroe
It is indeed a beautiful growth. At the border of a flower bed it has a problem though: It loses leaves at a height of 80-90 cm leaving a naked brown stem or with sorry looking, flapping, dry leaves still partially hanging on. I am looking for other aster or similar late bloomers to stand in front. Teuchritum with the purple spire as I have planted in front turn out too low to properly cover up.