{"product_id":"raydons-favorite-aromatic-aster-aster-oblongifolius-6-pack-of-1-gallon-pots","title":"Raydon's Favorite Aromatic Aster (Aster Oblongifolius) - 6 Pack Of 1 Gallon Pots","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRaydon's Favorite Aromatic Aster\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003ci\u003eAster oblongifolius\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e 'Raydon's Favorite'\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eOther names: Raydon's Favorite Fragrant Aster, \u003ci\u003eSymphyotrichum oblongifolium\u003c\/i\u003e ‘Raydon’s Favorite’\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePlant Details\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eUSDA Plant Hardiness Zones:\u003c\/span\u003e 4a-8b (3?)  \u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFind Your Zone\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003ePlant Type:\u003c\/span\u003e  Herbaceous Perennial \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eHeight at Maturity:\u003c\/span\u003e 2.5-3'\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eWidth at Maturity:\u003c\/span\u003e 3-4' \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSpacing:\u003c\/span\u003e  3' for mass plantings\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eGrowth Habit \/ Form:\u003c\/span\u003e  Compact Spreading Mound\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eGrowth Rate:\u003c\/span\u003e  Moderate to Fast\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eFlower Color:  \u003c\/span\u003eViolet-Blue\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eFlower Size:\u003c\/span\u003e 2-3\"\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eFlowering Period:\u003c\/span\u003e  Early Fall to Early Winter\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eFlower Type:\u003c\/span\u003e  Single, Daisy\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eFragrant Flowers:\u003c\/span\u003e  No\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eFoliage Color:\u003c\/span\u003e  Dark Green\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eFragrant Foliage:\u003c\/span\u003e  No\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eBerries: \u003c\/span\u003e No\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eBerry Color:\u003c\/span\u003e  No\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eSun Needs:\u003c\/span\u003e  Full Sun or Part Shade\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eWater Needs: \u003c\/span\u003e Average\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eSoil Type:\u003c\/span\u003e  Clay (amend heavy clay to ensure good drainage), Loam, Rocky, Sandy, Silt \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eSoil Moisture \/ Drainage:\u003c\/span\u003e  Moist But Well Drained to Dry when established\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eSoil pH:\u003c\/span\u003e  6.0-7.5 (Slightly Acidic to Slightly Alkaline)\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eMaintenance \/ Care:\u003c\/span\u003e  Low\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eAttracts:\u003c\/span\u003e  Butterflies, Beneficial Pollinators, Visual Attention\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eResistances:\u003c\/span\u003e  Cold Temperatures (-30F), Deer, Disease, Drought and Dry Soil, Heat, Humidity, Insect, Rabbit\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDescription\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eNot only Raydon Alexander's favorite Aster, but ours too...and we think it will be yours as well! The Raydon's Favorite Aromatic Aster is an almost indestructible North American Native selection that will put on a magnificent show of color like no other from early fall to frost, when there's often a need for color in the garden. It produces larger flowers than other aromatic asters that literally smother the 3 feet tall and wide compact foliage mound in a brilliant shade of violet-blue. The flowers are sure to capture the attention of late season butterflies and other beneficial pollinators. Highly adaptable and super-easy to grow, Raydon's Favorite will thrive on thin and rocky dry soils or average garden soils. It also stands up to the cold (-30F) and heat. You might also be happy to know that the deer and rabbits turn their nose up to the aromatic foliage. This is one of those plants that will always have you looking forward to fall. What more can we ask from a perennial plant?! \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e‘Raydon’s Favorite’ was named Plant of the Year by The Garden Club of America in 2016. Though it was an heirloom plant grown in Texas for many years, it was originally introduced to horticulture in the late 1980's by Raydon Alexander, a plantsman from San Antonio. It appears the original plant matches up with strains of an Aromatic Aster from East Tennessee, so a gardener in Tennessee must have brought it to Texas. A strain growing on Lookout Mountain has fairly similar characteristics, and this popular tourist destination may very well be the original source of ‘Raydon’s Favorite’ aster. If you would like to get the while history on this remarkable plant it can be found here: \u003cspan\u003ehttps:\/\/www.gardenrant.com\/2016\/03\/when-the-aster-hitched-a-ride.html\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLandscape \u0026amp; Garden Uses\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eGrowing 3 feet tall and spreading up to 4 feet wide, the Raydon's Favorite Aster is ideal for use as a specimen in smaller garden spaces or is absolutely breathtaking groupings or mass plantings in large garden spaces and sunny to partially shaded woodland borders and rock gardens. It does incredibly well in sites with rock, dry soil. A fine addition to butterfly and beneficial pollinator gardens, native plant gardens, rock gardens, blue or purple theme gardens, cottage gardens and the Xeriscape (low water needs).\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eSuggested Spacing:\u003c\/span\u003e  3 feet apart for mass plantings; 6 feet or more apart for space between plants\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGrowing Preferences\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eThe Raydon's Favorite Aster is very easy to grow in most any moist but well-drained to dry soil of average to low fertility, even dry sites with thin, rocky soil. It prefers full to to part shade. We suggest at least 5 hours of direct sunlight per day for best flowering and overall performance. Constantly soggy or wet soils can be problematic. Heavy, dense clay soils should be amended with organic matter to improve drainage. Very low maintenance, we simply cut it back to just above the ground in late winter before new growth begins to emerge.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eNote:\u003c\/span\u003e  Find helpful advice from our experts under the Planting \u0026amp; Care tab above on desktop computer screens or below on mobile devices.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePlant Long \u0026amp; Prosper!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMeet The Wilson Brothers \u0026amp; Staff\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eQuestions?\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003eContact Us!\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               \u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48147940573338,"sku":"D2LSC 669995679","price":99.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0751\/3263\/3242\/files\/aster-oblongifolium-raydons-favorite-3.jpg?v=1779971947","url":"https:\/\/plant.hcgardenus.com\/products\/raydons-favorite-aromatic-aster-aster-oblongifolius-6-pack-of-1-gallon-pots","provider":"Royal Horticultural Society","version":"1.0","type":"link"}