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Products > Plants - Browse Alphabetically > Boltonia asteroides
 
Boltonia asteroides - False Aster

Note: This plant is not currently for sale. This is an archive page preserved for informational use.  
Image of Boltonia asteroides
[2nd Image]
Habit and Cultural Information
Category: Perennial
Family: Asteraceae (Sunflowers)
Origin: North America
Flower Color: White
Bloomtime: Summer/Fall
Height: 4-6 feet
Width: 4-6 feet
Exposure: Sun or Shade
Deer Tolerant: Yes
Irrigation (H2O Info): Medium Water Needs
Winter Hardiness: < 0 °F
Boltonia asteroides (False Aster) A large open herbaceous shrub-like perennial that can grow upright to 5 to 6 feet tall and spreads slowly by rhizomes, but with some shade tends to grow wider as stems lay over and the plant then only reaches to around 4 feet tall. It has branching stems bearing 5 inch long narrow lance-shaped dark gray-green leaves and in late summer into early fall appear the sprays of 3/4 inch wide daisies with white ray and central yellow disk flowers. Plant in full sun and give occasional to regular irrigation. It is very hardy and can be grown in USDA Zones 3 to 10 and also tolerates wet, dry and clay soils. Pinch or cut back in late spring to control size and to keep more dense. It is great in a large meadow planting and in border backgrounds. It is also is a good filler cut flower in arrangements and the flowers attract butterflies. False Aster is native to moist prairies, meadows, marshes, stream banks and around ponds in eastern and central North America from Canada south and ranging within the US from Oregon to Maine south into the southern states and Texas. The genus name honors James Bolton (1735-1799), English naturalist, botanist, mycologist, and illustrator. The specific epithet means "resembling aster" in reference to the similar flowers. Besides False Aster, another common name is False Chamomile. We thank the Grassman and Meadowmaster John Greenlee for providing us with the seed of this plant from the plant growing in his San Francisco area garden. 

The information about Boltonia asteroides that is displayed on this web page is based on research conducted in our nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We will also include observations made about this plant as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens that we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We also incorporate comments that we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they share cultural information that aids others growing this plant.

 
San Marcos Growers, established in 1979, will close at the end of 2025 so that the property can be developed for affordable housing.