PlantFiles: Stokes' Aster, Stokes Aster, Cornflower Aster
Stokesia laevis

I planted several of the Stokes' Asters at the end of my driveway about 5 years ago. Until last year they produced beautifully and I was able to share cut flowers with all my friends and use them in my home. Last summer for seemingly no reason they produced buds but never bloomed. The same thing happened this year. They are in huge clumps and the plants seem very healthy.

These guys grow and bloom generously in a very well drained site I made by laying down a cheap scree of pit run gravel at the side of our driveway. The old leaves seem to make all the mulch they needed to get through last winter's 18 degrees below zero (F.). I am surprised that the gravel is sufficiently acidic. The rootball from the trade gallon pots they came in means that there are a couple of quarts or a liter of better soil right under the crown, but I am sure that the roots go much further than the former limits of the pot size.

Of all my asters, this one does the poorest for some reason, probably because it is a native to the Southwest and I am trying to grow it in the Pacific NW? Maybe it's the freeze/ thaw cycles as well.

I planted these next to my pond. They were only planted 2 months ago and are already twice the size that they were when I originally purchased them. They are simply covered with big 3-4 inch blooms.

I planted Stoke's aster about 7 years ago - it bloomed the first year, then seemed to disappear from view (in an overcroweded, underfertilized bed) - when I finally started taking care of the bed, I was happy to see the stokesia reappear, but it still has not flowered - I moved it to a sunnier location and divided it - still no flowers. what is with this plant? (I'm in zone 5, my soil is heavy clay somewhat enriched with half-decomposed leaf mulch)

i found this plant growing wild on my brothers property in may of 1996. i transfered it to a container then to a raised bed. when i moved i put it back in a container. it is a large plant now. it is very beautiful and i love having it in my garden.

My plant is in full sun and rather poor sandy soil. Yet, blooms beautifully every year and has small babies. Maybe I'll transplant the babies to my raised bed so I can see if they grow faster an multiply more. That would be lovely.

I was pleasantly surprised to recently find two of these Asters growing as volunteers or long dormant remainders from previous gardeners on my property. I have been in my house for about 2 years and have only mowed the unlandscaped portions of my 1/2 acre lot about once or twice. A benefit of not mowing is finding nice surprises such as this! I also had existing growth of Southern Grape Fern (Botrychium biternatum), Gloriosa lilies, and other plants that would have been lost if I had mowed without concern for the existing vegetation.

Update: 06/08/06: The original Stoke's Aster I found reproduced by seedlings in the immediate area of the parent plant. I have successfully transplanted some of the seedlings to a more sunny location at the front of my house. The oldest of the transplanted seedlings reached full blooming maturity this Spring. I would enjoy having an entire field of these wonderful blue flowers and hope they continue to multiply.

Jeremy

I like the flowers and the foliage. Unfortunately, rabbits *love* this plant....

The Florida Nurserymen and Growers Association has just chosen this plant to be one of it's "Plant of the Year". This program was established in 1998 by the FNGA to promote underused but proven plant material. For a plant to be considered a Florida Plant of the Year, it must have good pest resistance, require reasonable care and be fairly easy to grow.

I have not found this plant to spread much or become invasive in my landscape. It has very unique, large blooms that come in lavender, white, or yellow colors and its' blooms attract butterflies. Very rich soil and partial sunlight seem to be the winning combination in my garden. Protection from the hot midday summer sun in FL is highly recommended (morning sun and afternoon shade). It readily transplants. It has a lot of thick, fleshy roots, so try when transplanting, to make sure to get a nice rootball under the plant.

For several weeks in mid-summer this is a very beautiful plant. Rebloom is negligible, however, and the foliage is very untidy for most of the growing year.

Tends to spread invasively in good garden soil, requiring clumps to be lifted and separated every year or more desirable plants will be choked out.

Collecting seeds: Good seed is large, about the size of a small sunflower seed, and easy to collect from the dried bird's-nest shaped heads. The plants are moderately self-sterile. Often 70-80% of the seed in a head is not viable.

Round growth habit and spread of 18".
Drainage is imperative during the winter, particularly in the areas where alternate freezing and thawing is common. Plants is zone 5 will benefit from a winter mulch.
Best used in groups of three in the perennial border.
No serious in insects or diseases.
Easy to grow. Cut back plants to the ground in autumn.

Native to southern United States.

Only one species to this genus. Best cultivated in full sun to part shade in rich, well draining soil. Grows to about 18" high. Blooms late summer to autumn and the flowers are purple or white. They sort of look like a cornflower. Hardy zones 7-10