Azumi XL White Aster Seeds

Azumi XL White Aster is an exceptional cut flower aster producing extra-large, fully double, pompon-style blooms on strong, vigorous plants. The flowers begin with a soft creamy center and mature to a clean, bright white, creating an elegant appearance that works beautifully in both formal and informal arrangements. The first flower can reach about 3 inches across, followed by numerous slightly smaller blooms, and plants may be disbudded when even larger individual flowers are desired. Strong stems and vigorous upright growth make this an impressive addition to the cutting garden.

Azumi XL White is particularly valuable for bouquets, wedding flowers and florist arrangements, where its neutral white coloring combines easily with virtually any other flower. It can be grown as a spray-type cut flower, producing a substantial cluster of stems and blooms from each plant, or individual stems can be harvested as needed. Plants typically reach about 36 inches tall under normal production, with long stems well suited to cutting. The Azumi XL series also offers useful tolerance to Fusarium, an important advantage for growers who have experienced this troublesome soilborne disease with China asters.

Grow Azumi XL White in full sun and fertile, well-drained soil with consistent moisture and good air circulation. Seeds may be started indoors about 6 to 8 weeks before the last expected frost, or direct sown after danger of frost has passed and the soil has warmed. Germination generally takes about 8 to 15 days at approximately 70°F, and plants normally require about 13 to 14 weeks from sowing to flowering under favorable conditions. Provide support if plants are exposed to strong winds or heavy summer storms, and harvest flowers as they approach full opening for the best combination of appearance and vase performance. With its large pure-white blooms, sturdy cutting stems, vigorous growth and Fusarium tolerance, Azumi XL White is an outstanding choice for gardeners and serious cut flower growers alike.