Heirloom

Valkyrie Brunhilde Chamois

Callistephus chinensis

Wikimedia Commons

Harvest

110-120d

Days to harvest

📅

Sun

Full sun to partial shade

☀️

Zones

2–11

USDA hardiness

🗺️

Height

1-3 feet

📏

Planting Timeline

Zone:

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Start Indoors

Transplant

Direct Sow

Start Indoors

Transplant

Direct Sow

Showing dates for Valkyrie Brunhilde Chamois in USDA Zone 7

All Zone 7 flower →

Zone Map

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Valkyrie Brunhilde Chamois · Zones 2–11

What grows well in Zone 7? →

Growing Details

Difficulty

Easy

SeasonWarm season annual

ColorPastel apricot

Size3 1/2-5 1/2"

Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar

Zone	Indoor Start	Transplant	Direct Sow	Harvest
Zone 3	April – May	June – July	June – August	—
Zone 4	March – April	June – June	June – July	—
Zone 5	March – April	May – June	May – July	—
Zone 6	March – April	May – June	May – July	—
Zone 7	February – March	April – May	April – June	—
Zone 8	February – March	April – May	April – June	—
Zone 9	January – February	March – April	March – May	—
Zone 10	January – January	February – March	February – April	—
Zone 1	May – June	July – August	July – September	—
Zone 2	April – May	June – July	June – August	—
Zone 11	January – January	January – February	January – March	—
Zone 12	January – January	January – February	January – March	—
Zone 13	January – January	January – February	January – March	—

Succession Planting

Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your last frost — late February to early March in zone 7 — then transplant out in April once nights hold above 40°F. For a longer cut-flower window, stagger two or three indoor sowings about 3 weeks apart through late March. At 110-120 days to bloom, a mid-March sowing should put you in flowers by mid-to-late July; a late-March sowing carries you into August. Don't bother direct-sowing much past early May — plants started in summer heat tend to stall and bloom poorly.

Complete Growing Guide

Needle- or quilled-type blooms atop long, sturdy stems add a delicate appearance to arrangements. 3 1/2-5 1/2" flowers bloom in pastel apricot - a shade lighter than Tower Chamois. Easy to harvest due to the well-branched plants' open, airy habit. Long vase life. Also known as summer aster. According to Johnny's Selected Seeds, Valkyrie Brunhilde Chamois is 110 - 120 days to maturity, annual, open pollinated. Notable features: Use for Cut Flowers and Bouquets.

Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day), Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours). Soil: Clay, High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt), Sand. Soil pH: Acid (<6.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist. Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.. Spread: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.. Spacing: Less than 12 inches. Growth rate: Rapid. Maintenance: Medium. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.

Harvesting

Valkyrie Brunhilde Chamois reaches harvest at 110 - 120 days from sowing per Johnny's Selected Seeds. Expect 3 1/2-5 1/2" at peak. As an annual, harvest continues until frost ends the season.

The fruit is a rough-textured, glandular, purple-mottled cypsela that turns gray with age.

Storage & Preservation

For fresh storage, place cut stems in a clean vase with cool water at room temperature (65-72°F) away from direct sunlight and ripening fruit. Change water every 2-3 days and re-cut stems for optimal vase life of 7-10 days. For preservation, air-dry bundles upside-down in a cool, dark, well-ventilated space for 2-3 weeks to create long-lasting dried arrangements. Alternatively, press blooms between newspaper under weight for 4-6 weeks for floral crafts, or preserve using silica gel for 5-7 days to maintain color and form.

History & Origin

Valkyrie Brunhilde Chamois is open-pollinated, meaning seed saved from healthy plants will produce true-to-type offspring. Listed in the Johnny's Selected Seeds catalog.

Origin: China and Southern Russia

Advantages

+Needle-petaled blooms create delicate, sophisticated arrangements for florists and designers
+Pastel apricot color is lighter and more versatile than Tower Chamois
+Long sturdy stems reduce need for additional support or floral mechanics
+Open branching habit enables easy harvesting with minimal plant damage
+Exceptional vase life extends arrangement longevity and customer satisfaction

Considerations

-110-120 day maturity requires significant space and time commitment from growers
-Delicate quilled petals susceptible to bruising during harvest and transport
-Late-season planting may struggle with early frost in shorter growing regions

Companion Plants

Marigolds (especially French types like 'Petit Prix') and Sweet Alyssum pull the most weight here — marigolds deter aphids and thrips that will otherwise move straight into Brunhilde's dense blooms, while alyssum draws in hoverflies and parasitic wasps that clean up soft-bodied pests before they establish. Nasturtiums serve as a trap crop, giving aphids something they prefer over the asters. Skip Black Walnut anywhere nearby — juglone, the compound its roots release, is toxic enough to kill or badly stunt Callistephus, and walnut root systems spread far wider than most people expect. Fennel stunts most of its neighbors and has no place in a cutting-flower bed.

Plant Together

Marigolds

Repel nematodes and aphids while attracting beneficial insects

Sweet Alyssum

Attracts beneficial insects like lacewings and provides ground cover

Nasturtiums

Act as trap crops for aphids and cucumber beetles

Lavender

Repels pests with aromatic oils and attracts pollinators

Petunias

Repel aphids, tomato hornworms, and other garden pests

Cosmos

Attract beneficial insects and provide complementary colors

Zinnia

Attract butterflies and beneficial insects while providing long blooms

Borage

Attracts pollinators and may improve soil nutrients

Keep Apart

Black Walnut

Produces juglone toxin that inhibits growth of many flowering plants

Fennel

Releases allelopathic compounds that suppress nearby plant growth

Sunflowers

Can shade smaller flowers and compete aggressively for nutrients

Troubleshooting Valkyrie Brunhilde Chamois

What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.

Wilting stems and crown rot at soil level, often appearing 2-3 weeks after transplant

Likely Causes

Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum) — a soil-borne fungus that thrives in warm, waterlogged soil
Overwatering or planting in a low spot with poor drainage

What to Do

1.Pull and discard affected plants — don't compost them
2.Amend beds with coarse perlite or sand before next planting to improve drainage
3.Rotate asters out of that bed for at least 3 years; Fusarium persists in soil

Silvery stippling on leaves with tiny moving dots on the undersides, usually in hot dry stretches

Likely Causes

Two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) — populations explode when temps stay above 85°F and humidity drops

What to Do

1.Blast the undersides of leaves with a strong jet of water every 2-3 days for a week
2.Apply insecticidal soap or neem oil in the evening to avoid leaf scorch — repeat every 5-7 days
3.Keep plants consistently watered; stressed plants are hit harder

Distorted, stunted new growth with yellowing between leaf veins, appearing midsummer

Likely Causes

Aster yellows — a phytoplasma disease spread by the aster leafhopper (Macrosteles quadrilineatus)
No cure exists once a plant is infected

What to Do

1.Pull and bag infected plants immediately — they become a reservoir that leafhoppers draw from to infect healthy plants nearby
2.Use floating row cover earlier in the season to limit leafhopper access before the plants start flowering
3.Don't replant Callistephus in the same bed two years running; leafhopper pressure tends to build where asters have been before

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do Valkyrie Brunhilde Chamois flowers last in a vase?▼

These flowers have an excellent long vase life of 7-10 days when properly maintained. Keep stems in cool water (65-72°F), change the water every 2-3 days, and re-cut the stems at an angle. Remove any foliage below the waterline to prevent bacterial growth and extend their display time significantly.

Is Valkyrie Brunhilde Chamois good for beginners?▼

Yes, absolutely. Listed as an easy-to-grow variety, these heirloom flowers are perfect for beginners. The well-branched, open, airy plants are forgiving and produce abundant blooms. They require minimal care, tolerate full sun to partial shade (4-6+ hours), and are straightforward to harvest due to their sturdy stems.

Can you grow Valkyrie Brunhilde Chamois in containers?▼

Yes, these flowers can be grown in containers, though specific spacing and soil recommendations would help optimize results. Choose a pot with good drainage and provide at least 4-6 hours of sunlight daily. Container growing allows flexibility in positioning for light exposure and makes harvesting convenient for cut flower arrangements.

When should I plant Valkyrie Brunhilde Chamois?▼

Sow seeds after your last frost date directly in the garden. These flowers need a growing season of 110-120 days to harvest, so time planting accordingly based on your frost dates. Starting seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost can give earlier blooms, but direct sowing works well for this easy variety.

What color are Valkyrie Brunhilde Chamois blooms?▼

The blooms are a lovely pastel apricot shade, slightly lighter and more delicate than the Tower Chamois variety. The needle- or quilled-type petals create an elegant, feathery appearance that works beautifully in fresh arrangements and adds soft, warm tones to any garden display.

How are Valkyrie Brunhilde Chamois flowers different from other asters?▼

Also known as summer aster, Valkyrie Brunhilde Chamois stands out for its distinctive needle- or quilled petals on long, sturdy stems. The pastel apricot color is unique, and the well-branched habit provides an open, airy form. These characteristics make them especially valued for cut flowers and fresh arrangements.