A robust bloomer, Boltonia asteroides - False Aster provides a bright white presence from late summer to the first frosts, a time when the predominant native flower color is yellow. Hundreds of aster-like blossoms on a single plant are an inch across and feature yellow centers surrounded by narrow white ray petals that sometimes are tinged pink to purple. Narrow gray-green leaves and sturdy stems add to the plant's visual appeal. False Aster prefers wet to medium soil conditions and grows best in full sun to partial shade. Profuse blooms can be expected in wetter soils and sunny sites, and the height can vary greatly from 3' to 5' depending on soil moisture. Standing water is even tolerated for short periods so it's a great choice for Rain Gardens. It is rhizomatous by nature so will spread, but not aggressively. Many insects are attracted to this plant, including butterflies, long and short-tongued bees, wasps, flies, skippers, moths, and beetles. It has a wide native range, from zone 3 to 10.

Good companion plants include Goldenrods, Asters, Joe-Pye Weed, and numerous prairie grasses. Other frequently used names are Boltonia latisquama recognita and White Doll's Daisy or False Chamomile.

Live Plant Shipping Table
	Spring	Fall	Age/Size
Dormant Bare Roots	April/May	October	1 year
Potted 3-Packs	May/June	September	2.5" wide x 3.5" deep pots
Potted Trays of 38*	May/June	N/A	2" wide x 5" deep plugs
*This species is a choice in the Mix & Match - Create Your Own Tray!

Map Key

Present in state

Present but introduced in county

Present and native in county; not rare

Not present in state

Present and native in county; rare

Species extirpated (historic)

State or county listed as noxious

Present in state; exotic

This map shows the native and introduced (adventive) range of this species. Given appropriate habitat and climate, native plants can be grown outside their range.

3 Questions asked on Boltonia asteroides

Mayer Baker June 23

For plants that have very small seeds, like False Aster, if you sow them in late Fall/early Winter, (which means you can't cover with burlap & keep from drying out as instructed in Germination Code D, will they survive to germinate in the Spring? (Or is the percentage of small seeds that germination if late Fall seeded greatly reduced so it might be wise to purchase a larger amount of those seeds?

Prairie Moon June 26

You should surface sow small seed species late fall. Freeze-thaw action will get them situated just below ground level. True, larger seeds typically have a higher germination rate, but that doesn't necessarily mean you will need to sow more of a small seed species. A seed packet or 1/8 oz of this False Aster will yield a lot of seedlings!

Erin October 30

Do these stand up well on their own, or do they tend to get floppy?

Prairie Moon October 31

Hi Erin, with its big spreading blooms extending from a small cluster of stems, gravity causes this plant to be relatively floppy on its own. If its in a mixed planting, grasses and companion flowers may provide the structure it needs to stand up. Staking may be required for extra support if this species is to stand alone as a statement plant in a formal garden design. Shady areas and rich, wet soils are conditions that will really promote "floppy" growth from. Pinching the plant back in early June may help provide the plant with a less floppy growth form.

Nancy January 26

I’ve seen some photos of Boltonia with pink flowers. Will these seeds produce pink flowers at some point? Do you have pink Boltonia seeds? Or know where I can find them? Thank you. Nancy

Prairie Moon January 26

Hi Nancy. This native, wild-type False Aster CAN showcase some pastel colors, including a delicate pink - but more often than not, this species blooms with white flower petals. There are cultivated varieties that are more consistently pink, but we do not carry them at Prairie Moon.

Seed

Growing your own plants from seed is the most economical way to add natives to your home. Before you get started, one of the most important things to know about the seeds of wild plants is that many have built-in dormancy mechanisms that prevent the seed from germinating. In nature, this prevents a population of plants from germinating all at once, before killing frosts, or in times of drought. To propagate native plants, a gardener must break this dormancy before seed will grow.

Each species is different, so be sure to check the GERMINATION CODE listed on the website, in the catalog, or on your seed packet. Then, follow the GERMINATION INSTRUCTIONS prior to planting. Some species don't need any pre-treatment to germinate, but some species have dormancy mechanisms that must be broken before the seed will germinate. Some dormancy can be broken in a few minutes, but some species take months or even years.

Seed dormancy can be broken artificially by prolonged refrigeration of damp seed in the process of cold/moist STRATIFICATION. A less complicated approach is to let nature handle the stratifying through a dormant seeding, sowing seeds on the surface of a weed-free site in late fall or winter. Tucked safely beneath the snow, seeds will be conditioned by weathering to make germination possible in subsequent growing seasons.

To learn more, read our BLOG: How to Germinate Native Seeds

Dormant Bare Root Plants

We dig plants when they are dormant from our outdoor beds and ship them April-May and October. Some species go dormant in the summer and we can ship them July/August. We are among the few still employing this production method, which is labor intensive but plant-friendly. They arrive to you dormant, with little to no top-growth (bare-root), packed in peat moss. They should be planted as soon as possible. Unlike greenhouse-grown plants, bare-root plants can be planted during cold weather or anytime the soil is not frozen. A root photo is included with each species to illustrate the optimal depth and orientation. Planting instructions/care are also included with each order.

Download: Installing Your Bare-Root Plants

Potted Plants

3-packs and trays of 32, 38, or 50 plants leave our Midwest greenhouses based on species readiness (being well-rooted for transit) and order date; Spring shipping is typically early May through June, and Fall shipping is mid-August through September. Potted 3-packs and trays of 38 plugs are started from seed in the winter so are typically 3-4 months old when they ship. Trays of 32/50 plugs are usually overwintered so are 1 year old. Plant tray cells are approximately 2” wide x 5” deep in the trays of 38 and 50, and 2.5" wide x 3.5" deep in the 3-packs and trays of 32; ideal for deep-rooted natives. Full-color tags and planting & care instructions are included with each order.

Download: Planting and Care of Potted Plants

*PLEASE NOTE: we are a mail order nursery and have no retail facilities, but you may pick up your order if prior arrangements are made. Pick up orders are subject to **MN Sales Tax.

Shipping & Handling Charges

SEED $100.00 and under: $5.00
Retail SEED orders over $100.00 ship free!

Custom seed mixes or discounted seed sales over $100, add 5% of the total seed cost
(for orders over $1,000 a package signature may be required)

BARE ROOT and POTTED PLANTS $50.00 and under: $9.00
over $50.00: 18% of the total plant cost. (For orders over $1,000 a package signature may be required.)

TOOLS and BOOKS have the shipping fee included in the cost of the product (within the contiguous US).

**We are required to collect state sales tax in certain states. Your state's eligibility and % will be calculated at checkout. MN State Sales Tax of 7.375% is applied for orders picked up at our MN location. Shipping & handling charges are also subject to the sales tax.

Shipping Season

SEED, TOOLS and BOOKS are sent year-round. Most orders ship within 1-3 business days.

BARE ROOT PLANTS are shipped during optimal transplanting time: Spring (April-May) and Fall (Oct). Some ephemeral species are also available for summer shipping. Since our plants are field-grown, Nature sets the schedule each year as to when our season will begin and end. We fill all orders, on a first-come, first-serve basis, to the best of our ability depending on weather conditions beyond our control.

POTTED PLANTS (Trays of 32/38/50 plugs and 3-packs) typically begin shipping early May and go into June; shipping time is heavily dependent on all the species in your order being well-rooted. If winter-spring greenhouse growing conditions are favorable and all species are well-rooted at once, then we ship by order date (first come, first serve). We are a Midwest greenhouse, and due to the challenges of getting all the species in the Mix & Match and Pre-Designed Garden Kits transit-ready at the same time, we typically can't ship before early May. Earlier shipment requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

*We are unable to ship PLANTS (bare root or potted) outside the contiguous US or to CALIFORNIA due to regulations.

Delivery

We ship using USPS, UPS and Spee Dee. UPS and Spee Dee are often used for expediting plant orders; they will not deliver to Post Office Box numbers, so please also include your street address if ordering plants. We send tracking numbers to your email address so please include it when you order.

FOR MORE DETAILED SHIPPING INFORMATION, INCLUDING CANADA SHIPPING RATES (SEED ONLY), PLEASE SEE 'SHIPPING' AT THE FOOTER OF THIS WEBSITE.

False Aster

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