Aster for ID

[mark smyth]

I saw this lovely Aster in a garden on Friday but what is it? In a few days it will be a ball of flowers. The photo names says ericoides because that's what someone suggested

[Maggi Young]

Could be that. Mark, but not the "ordinary" version, which has the usual yellow centred daisies.... with this larger pink centre, this looks a more fancy cultivar.......

 On checking, I find that the Aster has now had  its name changed to Symphyotrichum ericoides 

I think that this delightful plant that Mark has pictured is not this at all, under any name... all the ones I've checked have the simple daisy flower with  a yellow centre.... this is "summat else".......

[Diane Clement]

On checking, I find that the Aster has now had  its name changed to Symphyotrichum ericoides    

I think Mark's picure is actually Aster lateriflorus var horizontalis (now Symphyotrichum lateriflorus)

All the North American asters were taken out of the genus Aster several (at least 4?) years ago including A ericioides, asteroides, novae-angliae and novi-belgii.  There are several new genera but I have not seen them in use  - although I first read about this in the RHS magazine The Garden, the Plantfinder hasn't taken them on board.  I still use the old aster names in the AGS seed list because I don't think most people would recognise the new names.

[Maggi Young]

Well done, Diane, what a star you are!
 
I'm not surprised you've kept the "old" naming.... precious few of us would recognise the Symphyotrichum or other appellations, I reckon!

[mark smyth]

Thanks Diane. I'll have to go begging some

[Lesley Cox]

It looks a very nice plant Mark, quite compact for a shrubby thing, and so full of flowers.