June 2004
The Stoke's Aster, also referred to as Stokesia, is a very
pretty, colorful, fringed long-blooming summer perennial. A
robust, herbaceous border plant, with foliage that is evergreen
and smooth, Stokesia is also great as a cut flower, as it lasts
about a week. Hardy in the UK, Europe, Japan & Australia,
the Stoke's Aster can be found on the wild plains from South
Carolina to Louisiana and is Native to the conifer woods on
moist, acidic soil in the Southeastern U.S. So it seems like
this puppy will grow just about anywhere. I think I saw Zones
5-10. They form nice mounding clumps and are useful in groups,
even in a rock garden. Combine them with yarrow, balloon flower,
Veronica, or Penstemon.
'Alba'
has white flowers. 'Silver Moon' has larger, silvery-white
flowerheads. 'Mary Gregory' has pale yellow flowers. 'Blue
Danube' has clear blue flowers. 'Wyoming' has the darkest
blue flowerheads of all. 'Rosea' has rosy-pink flowerheads.
'Honeysong Purple' (Picture Above) has royal purple flowers.
'Purple Parasols' starts out light blue and slowly darkens
to deep violet. Removing faded flowers regularly to promote
further blooms is encouraged. Ours started flowering this
month. This is the first year they have flowered, so I have
no idea how long they will go for. I think they are supposed
to bloom through October. won't that be great! We are also
growing some of the yellow, which is pretty. But that purple
is to die for...
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