Cut Flower Care and Handling: Aster

Floralife has expanded the Flower Care and Handling section of our website to offer a bunch of useful tips for the postharvest processing of many different varieties of cut flowers. Grower, wholesaler, retailer, enthusiast – there’s something for everybody. Let’s go down the list! Today’s star is the Aster – Matsumoto!

Aster – Matsumoto, also known as China astera, is native to East Asia and Japan. They come in a variety of colors including apricot, coral, light blue, cream, pink, red and white with a yellow centers.

As always, Floralife has some practical Aster – Matsumoto care and handling tips for the grower, the wholesaler and the retailer. Here is a preview.

For the grower, you will find recommendations on harvesting the Aster. Specifically, when two to four blooms are on the spike. After cutting the stems, treat with Floralife^® Chrysanthemum 100 (PC 100) pretreatment.

For the Wholesaler and Retailer, buying tips include knowing your cultivars. They aren’t all the same. Disease resistance, ease of hydration and vase life are all variables when it comes to the Aster.

Also, some “don’ts.” As in, don’t buy prematurely harvested Asters, as they may never properly open. Also look for signs of distress or disease, and we will tell you what to look for.

Processing tips include unpacking immediately, recutting and removing the foliage below the solution level.

Hydration: You have a couple of options. Hydraflor^® 100 is useful for all flower types to rehydrate and condition flowers after a period of dry transport for increased quality and enhanced flower life. Floralife^® Quick Dip 100 is a ready-to-use version of a hydration solution. This quick one-second dip might be more suitable to retail flower shops.

A special note with Aster is that the leaves often will wilt or die before the flowers, making hydration – and open, free-flowing stems – particularly important.

Storage and Transport: As always, if your flowers will be stored in a cooler, use Floralife^® 200 or Floralife^® Clear 200, or Floralife^® Clear ULTRA 200 or eZ Dose^® storage treatment solutions.

Vase Solution: It’s the last step prior to consumer purchase. A final opportunity to give your Asters a boost before they head out the door. Use a Floralife Flower food solution such as Floralife Crystal Clear^® in your buckets, vases and Oasis floral foam arrangements.

There is a lot more at the original piece, including discussion on Aster vase life, ethylene sensitivity and storage temperature tips, so check it out! Are you a fan of Aster – Matsumoto? Tell us all about it in the comments section!