11:09 AM Mon, Aug 03, 2009 | Permalink
Pat Feinstein  Email
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Stokesia has been part of my perennial garden for many years, starting out as a small plant, flourishing as it has gotten bigger and healthier each year. It has always been reliable in producing lovely blooms in lavender blue color. Stokesia reminds me of pin cushion (scabiosa) because of the shape of the flowers and color; but they are not in the same family. Stokesia belongs in the family Asteraceae.
7.10.05
Stoke's aster got its name from a British physician and botanist, Jonathan Stokes (1755-1831). According to Wikipedia, Stokes was a member of Lunar Society, an elite dinner club and informal learned society of prominent industrialists, philosophers and intellectuals who met during the full moon. Members included both grandfathers of Charles Darwin. He pursued his interests in botany as a plant collector and cataloguer, as well as providing details of clinical trials on patients he treated with Digitalis (foxglove).
Stokesia, a native of North American wildflower, has been grown as ornamental plants.
Full sun and fertilizing are recommended. Blooming period starts around midsummer and continues into early fall with dead-heading.
7.25.09
Stokesia makes lovely cut flowers.
7.29.09
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Have new plant with blooms that died, then no new blooms. Forgive my stupidity, but see compact, round, green balls without color, just sitting. Are these new blooms or old? Should I cut these to encourge new? Leaves are nice and green though, but plant is boring.
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The first pix from 05 was a new bloom.
The other two pix are from this year -- not really new as they have started blooming fro several weeks. Yes.. you need to deadhead it and cut the branches down to get new blooms.
Good Luck!.
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The first pix form 2005 was a new bloom.
The other two pix from this year - is not really new blooms as they have started blooming many weeks ago and kept on blooming.
Yes -- deadheading and trimming down the branches of spent flowers will promote new blooming.
Good Luck!
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