Stokesia ‘Peachie’s Pick’

Stokes aster (Stokesia laevis) is an underutilized herbaceous perennial. It is indigenous to the southeastern United States (USDA hardiness zones 5-9 and AHS heat zones 4-11). Many attractive cultivars are now available (see below). Most stokes asters produce mostly blue and purple colored floral cultivars, but violet, yellow, white, and blended color forms are also available.

Stokes aster prospers in full sun but does tolerate very light shade. A well-drained soil is absolutely essential; it tolerates a wide range of soil types. A one year-old established clump is moderately drought tolerance. Soppy winter soil is the usual cause of losing Stokes aster; few garden diseases and pests trouble this perennial.

It bears large showy flowers from late spring through summer. Blooms are attached to short stalks and sit slightly above the foliage canopy. Most cultivars produce two and more flushes of flowers if deadheaded immediately and irrigated over dry periods. Fertilize at planting time or in early spring with a slow-release product such as Osmocote™, Nutricote™, or Nursery Special™.

Cultivars:

White flowering – ‘Alba’ and ‘Silver Moon’

Blue-flowering – ‘Blue Danube’, ‘Blue Moon’, ‘Blue Star’, ‘Klaus Jelitto’, and ‘Wyoming’.

Yellow flowering – ‘Mary Gregory’ (large 3-4 inch wide lemon yellow).

Deep purple flowering – ‘Honeysong Purple from Wayside Gardens of Hodges, SC; the tint deepens as the flower ages, contrasting with white stamens and red overtones.

Lavender-blue flowering – ‘Omega Skyrocket’ bears on long stalks, a trait that endears it with cutflower enthusiasts. A white selection is also available.

‘Peachie’s’, often listed as ‘Peachie’s Pick’ in nursery catalogs, is the cultivar that gets the most buzz. It was selected by Peachy Saxton in Meridian, MS. It bears large lavender-blue flowers that stand tall above the plant foliage. It blooms repeatedly from mid-June to frost.

It has large 2- inch diameter lavender-blue flowers on erect 18-inch stems from mid-summer onward. Peachie’s Pick forms a tidy 10-12 inches tall and 18-20 inches wide mound of deep green foliage; foliage is evergreen during most winters in zones 7-9.