Stokes Aster is a beautiful Florida native and its flowers are normally blue-lilac in color, but this cultivar (Divinity) is known for its large, showy white blooms. It is a low maintenance ground cover plant that grows best in full sun, but can tolerate partial shade and prefers well-draining moist soil. Stokes aster blooms late into fall providing a valuable nectar source to a variety of butterflies.
How to care for White Stokes Aster
Light. Full sun to partial shade.
Water. Keep the soil moist. It tolerates occasionally wet soil and short dry spells once established, but it needs good drainage.
Soil and feeding. It prefers well-drained sandy soil that is slightly acidic to neutral. It grows in poor soil and needs little feeding.
Size. Grows to about 2 ft when blooming, from a low rosette of evergreen leaves.
Pruning. Pinch off spent flower heads to encourage more blooms. Divide mature clumps when they get crowded.
Problems to watch. No significant pest problems. It is a short-lived perennial.
Good to know. A Florida native wildflower from the Panhandle. 'Divinity' is a white-flowered selection. The flowers draw butterflies and bees. Keep it away from salt spray and salty wind.
Sources: UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions: Stokes' Aster · Florida Native Plant Society Plant Database: Stokesia laevis · NC State Extension Plant Toolbox: Stokesia laevis
