Aster Kickin® Sapphire

KICKIN® Sapphire is a compact, mounded aster with bright green foliage and dark blue-violet flowers centered in yellow. It adds a dense late-summer and fall display to sunny borders, mass plantings and large containers. ## Seasonal Display and Placement The exact cultivar is identified as *Aster dumosus* ‘Sapphire’ in [Acorn Farms’ KICKIN entry](https://www.acornfarms.com/responsive/velocity/15AFcategories.php?pullname=ASTER+KICKIN+SAPPHIRE) and [Sooner Plant Farm’s profile](https://www.soonerplantfarm.com/plant/aster-kickin-sapphire). Its daisy-like flowers cover the mound from late summer into fall, providing color as earlier perennials fade. Both listings place mature plants around 2–3 feet tall and wide, so allow similar spacing when grouping them. ## Growing Conditions Grow in full sun in fertile, moist but free-draining soil; avoid waterlogged ground. Published hardiness guidance varies: Acorn Farms lists Zone 5, while Sooner Plant Farm gives Zones 5–9. Sooner also lists butterfly interest and resistance to deer and rabbits. Use the flowers in sunny borders or grouped plantings where pollinators can reach them. ## Maintenance Water new plants regularly through establishment, then adjust watering to rainfall and soil moisture. Remove fading flower stems for a tidier mound, and cut back old stems after the season. The compact habit generally needs no spring pinching.