Stokes'-aster

Year-round

Stokes' aster is an easy, low-maintenance perennial that likes sun and soil that drains well. It is hardy across the range that includes Harrisburg, PA.

• Give it full sun, at least 6 hours a day. Part shade (2 to 6 hours) also works.
• Plant in soil that drains well. It likes steady moisture but handles an occasional wet spell and dry spells once settled.
• Expect a plant about 1 to 2 feet tall and 12 to 18 inches wide, so leave it room.
• It is listed as deer and rabbit resistant and has no significant problems.

Compact mounds with blue-purple flowers read as intentional when planted in a group of three or more near the front edge of a bed.

Fall

Fall needs very little. The plant keeps its dark green leaves into the cold months.

• Water only if the weather turns very dry.
• Keep good drainage around the crown so it does not sit in wet soil.
• Leave the leaf rosettes in place as they stay green through winter.

Winter

Stokes' aster is hardy in USDA zones 5a to 9a, so it can stay in the ground through a Harrisburg, PA winter.

• Do not cover or dig it up. The green rosettes are normal in winter.
• Skip watering unless the ground is dry and unfrozen for a long stretch.
• Avoid spots where water pools and freezes around the crown.

Spring

Spring is a good window to plant or move Stokes' aster and to let the new leaves fill in.

• Water new plants deeply and regularly until they are established.
• Pick a spot with good drainage and 6 or more hours of sun.
• Once established, it needs little extra care.

Summer

Stokes' aster blooms in early to mid summer and handles heat and dry spells well once settled.

• Snip off spent flowers to keep the bloom going longer.
• Water during long dry stretches, especially for young plants.
• It resists drought, so avoid overwatering.

Removing spent blooms keeps the bed looking tidy and cared for.

Year-round

Stokes aster is a low, evergreen perennial with big blue daisy-like flowers, native to the southeastern coastal plain including Florida, and one of the easier native perennials to grow in a home garden.

• Give it full sun to part shade and well drained soil. It does not like sitting in soggy ground, especially over winter.
• Water regularly during dry summer spells, since sandy Tallahassee soil drains fast.
• Deadhead spent blooms to keep new flowers coming through summer.
• Divide crowded clumps every two to three years in early spring or early fall.
• Watch for crown rot in poorly drained spots and stem rot in soil that stays constantly wet.

Its neat evergreen clumps and big blue flowers read as a tidy, cared-for front bed plant, which fits an HOA-friendly design.

Fall

Fall is a low-stress time to divide Stokes aster and clean up the planting before winter.

• Divide large clumps every two to three years in early fall if you did not divide in spring.
• Cut back any spent flower stalks after the last fall bloom.
• Reduce watering as temperatures cool and rainfall becomes more reliable.

Winter

Stokes aster stays evergreen through mild Tallahassee winters, so it needs little care beyond making sure it drains well.

• Make sure the crown is not sitting in soggy soil, since winter wet is the main risk to this plant, not cold.
• No regular watering is needed during cool, wetter winter months.
• Leave the evergreen basal foliage in place. There is no need to cut it back for winter.

Spring

Spring is when Stokes aster starts its main bloom, with purplish blue flowers opening from late spring into summer.

• Remove any winter-damaged leaves as new growth resumes.
• This is a good window to divide overcrowded clumps before the summer bloom gets going.
• Keep soil evenly moist as buds and blooms form, especially if spring rainfall is light.

Summer

Summer is peak bloom season for Stokes aster in Tallahassee, and consistent watering during dry heat keeps the flowers coming.

• Deadhead spent flower heads regularly to extend the bloom season.
• Water during dry stretches, especially in sandy or fast-draining soil.
• Watch for foliage decline or rot if heavy summer rain keeps the soil waterlogged. Good drainage matters more than extra water here.