Stokes' Aster 'Blue Danube'

Stokesia laevis 'Blue Danube'

'Blue Danube' is the most popular cultivar of native Stokes' aster, and for good reason. the flowers are a true, clear blue-lavender with finely fringed petals that give each bloom an almost feathery quality up close. They're large for a front-of-border plant, two to four inches across, and they appear from June through August on compact, well-behaved mounds of straplike, semi-evergreen foliage. In summer, when blue flowers are scarce in the garden, this one stands out. Stokes' aster is adaptable and deer-resistant, performing well in average garden soil with reasonable drainage. The 'Blue Danube' cultivar tends to rebloom more readily than the straight species, especially if spent flowers are removed promptly. The cut flowers hold well in a vase. For borders, containers, or the front of a pollinator garden, this is one of the most dependable mid-to-late-summer natives available in the Southeast.