20
The plant is named after its dark, green-black foliage, which serves as an excellent backdrop for the spidery white flowers. Aster novi-belgii is less showy than many cultivars but no less floriferous. A myriad of delicate blooms appear in late summer and last well into autumn. It, like all Michaelmas Daisies, is an important source of late-season nectar for pollinating insects. This is a lovely hardy perennial for the middle of the border, where it will benefit from staking to keep its stems upright. Height: 90 cm (36). Spread: 50cm (20).