Boltonia is a genus of herbaceous perennials in the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes daisy, sunflower and lettuce. The leaves are lance-like and the daisy-like flowerhead are small, carried in clusters, and composed of numerous white to pink or purple ray florets surrounding a yellow center of disc florets. Most are native to the US, are easy to grow, but are too big and lanky to include in a formal garden. At least one very fine cultivar of Boltonia asteroides , ‘Snowbank” is available and popular for formal gardens. The genus name, Boltonia, honors James Bolton (1735-1799), English botanist. Photo Credit: Wikipedia
The environmental conditions in the Mid-Atlantic have resulted in at least two native species of Boltonia there but they may be native to other areas too. The Boltonia described here are native to at least 2 states in the Mid-Atlantic.
White Doll’s Daisy (Boltonia asteroides)
Stem are usually branched and carry linear gray-green leaves up to 5″ long. Flowerheads are borne in large, loose panicles. Each flowerhead is .75-1.25″ across and consist of 20-60 white to bluish ray florets, sometime pink tinged or violet, surrounding a center of yellow disc florets. White doll’s daisy is generally considered too large, floppy and weedy for inclusion in a formal garden but desirable in a wildflower garden for its abundant bloom late in the season.
Alternate Name/s: False chamomile, false aster
Native Range: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania as well places on the Pacific Coast, and in the Rocky Mountain area, Southwest, Midwest, Southeast, and New England
Habitat: Floodplains, wet prairies, wet meadows, thickets, marshes, stream banks, shorelines and pond edges
Type: Perennial
Height: 16″ to 78″
Bloom Time: Late summer to frost
Bloom Color: White to pink tinged or violet
Light: Full sun to part shade
Soil: Average, medium moist to dry, well-drained
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-10
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Mountain Doll’s Daisy (Boltonia montana)
Branched stems carry linear leaves and loose clusters of flowerheads composed of 20-60 white to lilac ray florets surrounding a yellow center of 50-400+ disc florets. Little information is available on this rare plant.
Alternate Name/s: Valley doll’s daisy
Native Range: Pennsylvania and New Jersey as well as places in the Southeast
Habitat: Sinkhole ponds
Type: Perennial
Height: 3-5′
Bloom Time: Mid summer into fall
Bloom Color: Pink, lavender
Light: Full sun
Photo Credit: Gary P Fleming, vaplantatlas.org
The Mid-Atlantic region includes Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia. The region is characterized by cold winters and hot summers, high humidity in summer along some areas along the coast, and precipitation between 32 and 52″ per year.