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Stokesia
Long-Blooming Native Pollinator Star
Stokes' Aster is a fantastic choice for a wide range of gardens, offering numerous benefits:
- Unique & Showy Flowers: Features large, intricate, cornflower-like blossoms (typically 2-4 inches across) in shades of lavender-blue, purple, pink, or white, depending on the cultivar. They add a distinct texture and vibrant color.
- Extended Bloom Time: Unlike many perennials with short bloom windows, Stokesia reliably flowers from early or mid-summer often right through to fall, providing continuous color.
- Pollinator Magnet: The blooms are highly attractive to bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects, making it an excellent choice for pollinator gardens or ecological landscaping.
- Native Plant Advantage: Native to the southeastern United States, it is well-adapted to regional conditions (especially heat and humidity) and supports local ecosystems.
- Low Maintenance: Once established, Stokes' Aster is relatively drought-tolerant and does not require constant fussing.
- Good Cut Flowers: The sturdy stems and long-lasting blooms make excellent additions to bouquets.
- Generally Deer Resistant: While no plant is completely deer-proof, deer tend to browse Stokesia less frequently than other garden plants.
- Adaptable Size: Typically forms neat clumps 1-2 feet tall and wide, making it suitable for borders, containers, and mass plantings.
When to Plant:
- Spring (after the last frost) is ideal, allowing roots to establish before summer heat.
- Early fall planting is also successful in most climates, giving plants time to settle before winter. Avoid late fall planting in colder zones.
Where to Plant:
- Sunlight: Full sun (6+ hours of direct sunlight daily) is best for optimal flowering and sturdy growth. It can tolerate light afternoon shade, especially in hotter climates, but flowering may be reduced.
- Soil: Excellent drainage is crucial! Stokesia hates wet feet, especially during winter dormancy, which can lead to crown rot.
- Prefers average to moderately fertile, sandy loam or well-drained soil.
- If you have heavy clay, amend the planting area generously with compost and potentially grit or coarse sand to improve drainage. Consider planting in raised beds if drainage is a persistent issue.
- Tolerant of a range of soil pH but performs well in slightly acidic to neutral soil.
How to Plant:
- Dig a hole roughly twice the width of the plant's container and about the same depth.
- Gently remove the plant from its pot, teasing out any circling roots.
- Place the plant in the hole so the top of the root ball is level with the surrounding soil surface. Planting too deep can lead to crown rot.
- Backfill the hole with the amended soil, firming it gently around the root ball.
- Water thoroughly after planting to settle the soil and eliminate air pockets.
- Apply a 2-3 inch layer of mulch (pine straw, shredded bark) around the plant, keeping it away from the base (crown) to allow air circulation and prevent rot.
Mass Planting Stokesia: Mass planting Stokes' Aster creates stunning drifts of color and texture.
- Preparation: Ensure the entire planting area has excellent drainage. Amend the whole bed if necessary, not just individual holes. Tilling in compost across the area is beneficial.
- Layout: Plant in informal drifts or sweeps rather than rigid rows for a more natural look. Stagger the plants in a triangular or offset pattern.
- Spacing:
- For a relatively quick fill-in (within 1-2 seasons), space plants about 15-18 inches apart (center to center).
- For a slightly longer-term fill where individual clumps have more space initially, space them 18-24 inches apart.
- Consider the mature spread of the specific cultivar you are planting (check plant tags).
- Execution: Lay out the plants in their pots first to visualize the spacing and design before digging. Plant as described above, water the entire area well, and apply mulch.
Growing and Caring for Stokesia laevis
- Watering: Water regularly (deeply, less frequently) during the first growing season to establish a strong root system. Once established, Stokesia is quite drought-tolerant but will perform and flower best with consistent moisture – about an inch of water per week (rainfall or irrigation), especially during hot, dry periods. Avoid constantly soggy soil.
- Fertilizing: Generally a light feeder. If your soil is reasonably fertile, it may not need supplemental fertilizer. If desired, apply a light dose of a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring as new growth emerges. Avoid excessive nitrogen, which can promote floppy growth at the expense of flowers.
- Deadheading/Pruning: Removing spent flowers (deadheading) encourages the plant to produce more blooms and keeps the plant looking tidy. Cut the flower stalk back down towards the base of the foliage.
- Division: Divide clumps every 3-4 years in the spring if they become overcrowded, the center starts to die out, or flowering diminishes. Dig up the clump, separate it into smaller sections (each with roots and shoots), and replant.
- Pests & Diseases: Relatively trouble-free. The main issue is crown or root rot caused by poorly drained soil, especially in winter. Leaf spots can occasionally occur but are rarely serious. Ensure good air circulation (proper spacing) to minimize fungal issues.
- Winter Care:
- In zones 7-9, the foliage is often semi-evergreen or evergreen. Tidy up any damaged leaves in late winter/early spring.
- In zones 5-6, the foliage will typically die back in winter. You can leave the dormant foliage for winter interest and critter habitat, or cut it back to a few inches above the ground in late fall or late winter/early spring before new growth begins.
- Crucially, ensure excellent drainage through winter to prevent rot. Avoid heavy, wet mulch packed against the crown. Pine straw or shredded bark are generally better than dense materials.
Stokesia (stoh-keez-ee-uh), Stokes' aster - there is only one species, a hardy perennial native to the southeastern states, with perky aster-like flowers and abundant foliage. Full sun and well-drained, slightly sandy, garden loam are ideal.
It is an upright perennial which features fluffy, cornflower-like flowers on generally erect, leafy stems. Rosettes are evergreen in warm winter climates. With its long summer bloom, Stokesia is considered one of the most attractive late-flowering perennials. Cut flowers can remain attractive for a week or more.
Attributes: Border plants, Containers, Cut flower, Drought Tolerant, Mass Planting, Easy to grow.