Latin plant names are often useful to avoid confusion between plants with similar common names. Sometimes though these botanical names are a source of confusion themselves.
The tall, dark-stemmed, lilac-blue daisy (above) is Symphyotrichum laeve ‘Calliope’.
This lower-growing plant, smothered with wide, lavender-blue flowers is Aster frikartii ‘Mönch’.
Taxonomists have discovered that they’re not closely related, hence Calliope’s new tongue twister of a name, but to a gardener they’re still different forms of an autumn garden favourite: Michaelmas daisies.
The two photos were taken (between the showers) today in Spittal’s Seafield Community Park.
October 18, 2020 at 1:27 am
The colour is stunning. I can’t believe they not closely related.
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October 18, 2020 at 8:45 am
Maybe close, but not close enough to share a name!
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