Add late-season fireworks with Aster novae-angliae 'Kickin® Carmine Red' (New England Aster 'Kickin Carmine Red'). This improved New England aster is valued for its vivid, carmine-red daisy flowers and strong stems that keep the plant looking tidy as it blooms from late summer into fall.
Plant it where you can enjoy the color when many summer perennials are fading. Give it full sun for the most flowers and the sturdiest habit, but it will also grow in part shade. Mature plants typically reach 24-36 inches tall and fill out into a well-branched clump that looks great in mixed borders and pollinator plantings.
For best results, grow in average to moist, well-drained soil. Water regularly during the first season to establish a deep root system, then provide supplemental water during extended dry spells. In richer soils, you can pinch or trim stems earlier in the season to encourage a fuller plant and reduce the need for staking.
Leave spent blooms through fall if you enjoy seasonal texture, then cut stems back after hard frost or in early spring before new growth starts. Divide clumps every few years to refresh vigor and to share plants. Pair it with ornamental grasses and golden fall companions for a classic autumn border.