Plant of the Month: Stokes Aster (Stokesia laevis)

Alice Marty, Mobile County Master Gardener

Stokes Aster is a reliable perennial in your July garden, and you can find it in 5 colors.  Blue is the most common color, but pink, white, purple and yellow can be found with a little search.  It works well as a border plant, in containers, or in that tough planting site where nothing seems to grow well.  A native of the Southeast, it is often included in butterfly or pollinator gardens.

Plant in full sun to partial shade.  Hardy in zones 5-10, it will begin blooming in late spring and rebloom until fall if encouraged by removing spent flowers.  In the warmer regions of the country, it will stay green all year.  Stokes Aster is easily propagated by separation every two years, seeds or cuttings.  The only drawback for this plant is that rabbits love them.