{"product_id":"indian-aster-kalimeris-indica","title":"Indian Aster | Kalimeris indica","description":"\u003cp\u003eIndian aster is one of those quietly useful plants that earns its place on multiple fronts without demanding anything in return. Native to eastern Asia — China, Korea, Japan — it's been cultivated there for centuries as both an ornamental and a kitchen green. The young leaves and stems, known as \"Malantou\" in Chinese tradition, are harvested in early spring and eaten as a vegetable: lightly blanched, in salads, with tofu, or as a simple sautéed green with a mild, slightly bitter flavor. Above ground through summer and fall it's pure cottage garden charm — airy, branching stems carrying a long succession of soft lavender-pink daisy flowers from late spring well into October, working reliably in the heat when many other perennials have given up. Butterflies and bees work it steadily. It forms spreading colonies over time by stolon and reseeds gently, making it a low-maintenance naturalizer for borders, food forest edges, and anywhere you want reliable long-season bloom and something edible in early spring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e🌿 Latin Name: Kalimeris indica\u003cbr\u003e🌞 Light: Full sun to part shade\u003cbr\u003e🌱 Soil: Well-drained, average; adaptable; tolerates a range of conditions\u003cbr\u003e💧 Water: Average; moderate drought tolerance once established\u003cbr\u003e📏 Mature Size: 24–36 inches tall; spreading colony by stolon\u003cbr\u003e🌸 Bloom Time: Late spring through October\u003cbr\u003e🗺️ Hardiness Zone: 6–9\u003cbr\u003e🦋 Wildlife Value: Attracts butterflies and bees; rabbit resistant\u003cbr\u003e🌿 Edible: Young spring leaves and stems eaten as a vegetable — blanched, in salads, or sautéed; long tradition of use in East Asian cuisine\u003cbr\u003e♻️ Landscape Use: Long-season border plant, food forest edge, cottage garden, naturalizing ground cover\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"New Earth Nursery","offers":[{"title":"3.5\" x 5\" pot","offer_id":42961112399943,"sku":"indianaster5","price":12.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"1gal","offer_id":42961116889159,"sku":"indianaster1gal","price":16.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0577\/5058\/5415\/files\/1_32e0ab0c-4d1e-4a01-9899-e95b3e9b9bce.png?v=1783981139","url":"https:\/\/newearthnursery.com\/products\/indian-aster-kalimeris-indica","provider":"New Earth Nursery","version":"1.0","type":"link"}