NC Native Plant Society:
Plant Details

Stokesia laevis

Stokes Aster, Stokesia, Blue Stokesia, Stokes's Aster, Cornflower Aster

Scientific Name:	Stokesia laevis
Genus:	Stokesia
Species Epithet:	laevis
Common Name:	Stokes Aster, Stokesia, Blue Stokesia, Stokes's Aster, Cornflower Aster
Plant Type	Herb/Wildflower
Life Cycle	Perennial
Plant Family	Asteraceae (Aster Family)
Native/Alien:	S.E. Native
Invasive Status:	^(*Key)
Size:	1-3 ft.
Bloom Color(s):	Pink, Purple
Light:	Sun - 6 or more hours of sun per day, Part Shade - 2 to 6 hours of sun per day
Soil Moisture:	Moist, Wet
Bloom Time:	June, July, August
Growing Area:	Piedmont
Habitat Description:	Native in pitcherplant bogs and moist pinelands of FL, GA, and SC, rather frequently grown as a garden plant and naturalized from cultivation at least in NC. While Weakley shows it only as a waif in NC, USDA PLANTS shows it as native in Guilford County. Vascular Plants of NC gives it a ranking of State Endangered.
Leaf Arrangement:	Alternate, Basal
Leaf Retention:	Evergreen
Leaf Type:	Leaves needle-like or scale-like
Leaf Form:	Simple
Life Cycle:	Perennial
Wildlife Value:	Has some wildlife value
Landscape Value:	Highly Recommended and Available
State Rank:	^(*Key)
Global Rank:	G4 - Apparently Secure ^(*Key)
State Status:	^(*Key)
Notes:	Cultivars available.
Flower head beginning to unfurl garden in Orange County, NC Bettina Darveaux
Close-up of large (2-2.5 inches) flower head garden in Orange County, NC Bettina Darveaux
The colors are spectacular when backlit garden in Orange County, NC Bettina Darveaux
Growth habit- plant grows from 1 to 2 ft tall garden in Orange County, NC Bettina Darveaux
DeKalb County, GA, cultivated Larry Mellichamp
The numerous 3- or 4-sided achenes, maturing to brown, are surrounded by the papery bracts from the flower head. Mecklenburg County, NC -cultivated Theresa Morr
Close-up of the harvested achenes. Orange Co., NC., -cultivated Bettina Darveaux
Links:	USDA PLANTS Database Record https://auth1.dpr.ncparks.gov/flora/plant_list.php https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/stokesia-laevis/ https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=STLA6