Growli
Let's go

Plant care

Aster 'Raydon's Favorite' (Aromatic Aster) care

Symphyotrichum oblongifolium 'Raydon's Favorite'

Also called Aromatic Aster, Fall Aster, Blue Wood Aster.

RHS H7USDA 3-9Pet-safeIndoor 60-90 cm tall and 60-90 cm wide

Watering rhythm

10-14days

When the top 5 cm of soil is dry, roughly every 10-14 days once established

Jump to schedule→Get smart reminders in the app

Light

Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)

Soil

Average to lean, well-drained loam or sandy loam

Humidity

30-60%

Temp

−35 to 35°C

Pet safety

Pet-safe

Mature size

60-90 cm tall and 60-90 cm wide

Care at a glance

Light

Aim for at least 4-6 hours of direct sun on the leaves. Full sun is essential for compact, floriferous growth. A minimum of 6 hours of direct sun daily prevents legginess and maximises bloom count. If your only bright window faces south, that's perfect for aster 'raydon's favorite' — same window any aroid would fry on.

Watering

Watering aster 'raydon's favorite': when the top 5 cm of soil is dry, roughly every 10-14 days once established. The number that matters isn't the day of the week — it's how dry the top 2-3 cm of the pot feels. A finger in the soil tells you more than a watering app. After every watering, tip the saucer. Drought-tolerant once established; little supplemental irrigation needed in most climates after the first season. Water deeply but infrequently rather than shallowly and often.

Soil and pot

Aster 'Raydon's Favorite' grows best in average to lean, well-drained loam or sandy loam. Performs best in average or even poor soils with sharp drainage. Rich soils lead to rank, floppy growth. Native to rocky limestone glades and open woodlands. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

Aster 'Raydon's Favorite' sits happiest at around 30-60% humidity and −35 to 35°C (−31 to 95°F). Tolerates a wide range of outdoor humidity. Good air circulation around plants reduces the already minimal risk of foliar disease. If you keep the room above −35 to 35°C year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed aster 'raydon's favorite' sparingly. A light application of balanced fertiliser in early spring is sufficient. Over-feeding produces lush growth with poor flower display; this cultivar thrives on lean conditions. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on aster 'raydon's favorite' in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

  • Stem floppiness — In shaded or overly fertile sites stems may require staking. Apply the Chelsea chop (cut back by one-third) in early summer to encourage a compact habit.
  • Powdery mildew — Very resistant, but occasional in humid, poorly ventilated spots. Choose an open, sunny site to minimise risk.
  • Aster yellows — Phytoplasma disease spread by leafhoppers causing yellowing and distortion. Remove infected plants promptly; control leafhopper populations.
  • Aphids — Clusters on tender new shoots in spring. Treat with a forceful water jet or insecticidal soap spray.
  • Overcrowding — Clumps can spread and self-seed vigorously. Divide every 2-3 years and deadhead to limit self-seeding if preferred.

Companion plants

Aster 'Raydon's Favorite' pairs well with Schizachyrium scoparium, Rudbeckia hirta, Solidago rugosa, and Agastache foeniculum. These are species with similar light and water needs, so you can group them in the same room or on the same shelf and water as a batch.

Propagation

Divide established clumps in early spring every 2-3 years. Stem-tip cuttings taken in late spring root readily. Seeds can be sown after a cold-moist stratification period of 4-6 weeks. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

Aster 'Raydon's Favorite' is pet-safe. Symphyotrichum oblongifolium is not listed as toxic to dogs or cats by the ASPCA. As with 'October Skies', the genus is generally regarded as non-toxic, though consuming large quantities may cause mild gastric irritation. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

Aster 'Raydon's Favorite' care — frequently asked questions

What is the common name for Symphyotrichum oblongifolium 'Raydon's Favorite'?

Symphyotrichum oblongifolium 'Raydon's Favorite' is most commonly called Aster 'Raydon's Favorite', but it is also known as Aromatic Aster, Fall Aster, Blue Wood Aster. The names refer to the same species, so care instructions for Aster 'Raydon's Favorite' apply identically to anything sold as Aromatic Aster.

How much light does aster 'raydon's favorite' need?

Aster 'Raydon's Favorite' grows best in direct sun (at least 4-6 hours). Full sun is essential for compact, floriferous growth. A minimum of 6 hours of direct sun daily prevents legginess and maximises bloom count.

How often should I water aster 'raydon's favorite'?

Water aster 'raydon's favorite' when the top 5 cm of soil is dry, roughly every 10-14 days once established. Drought-tolerant once established; little supplemental irrigation needed in most climates after the first season. Water deeply but infrequently rather than shallowly and often. The finger-test (or lifting the pot to feel its weight) beats a fixed weekly calendar because pot size, light, and season all change how fast the soil dries.

Is aster 'raydon's favorite' toxic to cats and dogs?

Aster 'Raydon's Favorite' is pet-safe. Symphyotrichum oblongifolium is not listed as toxic to dogs or cats by the ASPCA. As with 'October Skies', the genus is generally regarded as non-toxic, though consuming large quantities may cause mild gastric irritation.

What USDA hardiness zone does aster 'raydon's favorite' grow in?

Aster 'Raydon's Favorite' is rated for USDA zone 3-9 and RHS hardiness H7. Outside that range, grow it as a container plant that overwinters indoors before the first hard frost.

Aster 'Raydon's Favorite' deep-dive guides

Every aspect of aster 'raydon's favorite' care, each with its own calibrated guide:

Featured in these plant shortlists

Aster 'Raydon's Favorite' qualifies for 11 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:

Related guides

Aster 'Raydon's Favorite' is also known as Aromatic Aster, Fall Aster, and Blue Wood Aster.