Cait's Garden

Last year, about this time, I posted a photo of a scraggly little slip of  a plant I had just purchased called “Boltonia asteroides,” an American wildflower also called Wild Aster. The label said it would get to 4 feet tall and 3 feet wide and boy, they were not kidding. That plant shot up this year to impressive size. I was even able to give a clump to a friend in early spring. I can’t say enough good things about this plant. For much of the season, when it isn’t flowering, it looks like pale green tall grass. Then when it finally does bloom in September, well, you can see the photo. Amazing, isn’t it? I’ve read that, as with common asters, one can pinch these stems back in early July to keep the plant shorter later on. But I personally get a kick out of a flower that sees eye to eye with me. Definitely do not pass up the chance to own that scraggly looking, tiny pot of a wildflower in your garden center when you see it. I am so pleased with the performance of my native plants this year!