Stokes’ aster (Stokesia laevis) is a showy, native perennial wildflower for full to part sun. It blooms (blue/lavender) from late spring to mid-summer, is evergreen and grows to approximately 12 inches in height. It’s a good choice when you need a small patch of color at the front of a perennial border. Although stokesia likes plenty of moisture, you should plant it in well-drained, acidic soil. Wet soil in the winter is the main cause of death for this plant, so well-drained soil is a must. Choose a spot in the sun. Stokesia does well in partial sun, but if you’re looking for the best possible show of color, plant it in full sun. Keep in mind however that if you do so, it will need more water. You will have to pay special attention to its water needs until it’s well established. Deadheading and removing spent flower stems will also help maximize blossoming. Propagate stokesia by dividing root clumps in late winter or spring.

There are lots of good reasons for making space in your garden for stokesia. It’s a good source of nectar for butterflies, has no serious insect or disease problems and, although it likes plenty of moisture, it’s surprisingly drought tolerant once it’s established. Oh yeah . . . and it’s beautiful too.

At Native Nurseries, we typically stock Stokesia in quarts and 1-gallon pots. Currently we have both. As always, give us a call to check availability before making a special trip (although we’re always happy to see you). Sorry . . . we do not ship plants.

Some information for this blog post came from the following sources –

http://nassau.ifas.ufl.edu/Horticulture/plantsaleiplamts/stokesia.html

http://www.floridata.com/ref/s/stok_lae.cfm

Post Date: 5/15/15