- Source: Aster yomena
Aster yomena (syn. Kalimeris yomena), the kalimeris or Japanese aster, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, native to Korea and Japan. Locals occasionally collect its young leaves and cook them as a leaf vegetable.
A perennial reaching 1.5 ft (45 cm) high, and hardy in USDA zones 5 through 8, it is considered an easy plant for beginning gardeners, and can be grown "without fear of failure". There are a number of ornamental cultivars under its synonym Kalimeris yomena, with the variegated 'Shogun' being widely commercially available.
Subtaxa
The following varieties are accepted:
Aster yomena var. angustifolius (Nakai) Soejima & Igari – Japan
Aster yomena var. yomena – Korea, Japan
