China Aster Sea Starlet Yellow | Callistephus chinensis

China Aster Sea Starlet Yellow | Callistephus chinensis

China Aster Sea Starlet Yellow (Callistephus chinensis) is a radiant, starry addition to the Sea Starlet series, featuring delicate spider-type blooms with fine, feathery petals that radiate outward like sunlight. Its soft lemon-yellow flowers add a gentle warmth and luminous charm to gardens, borders, and floral arrangements.

This elegant variety combines both beauty and reliability — compact, well-branched plants reach 50–60 cm tall and produce large 9–12 cm blooms with excellent stem strength and vase life. Each flower glows with subtle depth, making it an exquisite focal point for cut flower growers and floral designers alike.

Sea Starlet Yellow performs beautifully in both garden beds and containers, thriving in sunny spots and rewarding growers with continuous blooms throughout late summer and early autumn.

Plant Details

• Botanical name: Callistephus chinensis
• Variety: ‘Sea Starlet Yellow’
• Series: Sea Starlet
• Common name: China Aster
• Life cycle: Hardy annual
• Height: 50–60 cm
• Spacing: 20–25 cm (9 in)
• Days to maturity: 115–125 days
• Light preference: Full sun or partial shade
• Soil: Rich, moist, well-drained, neutral pH
• Vase life: 7–10 days
• Uses: Cut flower, edible flower
  

Growing Information

• Sowing Time: Indoors from March or directly outdoors from late April to early May
• Sowing Depth: 0.5 cm — cover lightly with vermiculite
• Germination: 3–7 days at 21–22 °C; after germination, reduce to 8–12 °C
• Transplanting: Harden off seedlings before planting outdoors
• Plant Spacing: 20–25 cm for best air circulation
• Location: Full sun or partial shade

Fertilization & Care

• Start feeding 10 days after germination with 0.1% potassium nitrate, followed by calcium nitrate and balanced fertilizers
• Keep soil evenly moist but avoid overwatering
• Hardening: Seedlings tolerate up to –3 °C after hardening
• Cold tolerance: Mature plants withstand up to –6 °C
• No pinching required – naturally well-branched habit
• Use row covers or insect netting to prevent Aster Yellows Virus

Harvesting Tips

• Fresh flowers: Cut when outer petals begin to open and place immediately in water
• Dried flowers: Harvest fully open blooms for long-lasting dried arrangements
• Vase life: 7–10 days
  

Additional Benefits

• Pollinator-friendly: Attracts bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects
• Perfect for:
  
  • Cut flower production
  • Edible flower decorations
  • Garden borders and mixed beds
  • Late-summer and autumn bouquet

China Aster Sea Starlet Yellow – an elegant and productive variety with uniquely shaped blooms, excellent vase life, and soft, romantic tones that elevate every floral design or garden space.