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
These environmental conditions in the Midwest have resulted in at least three native species of Boltonia there although they may be native to other places too. The Boltonia described here are native to at least three states in the Midwest.
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: Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota, and North Dakota as well places on the Pacific Coast, and in the Rocky Mountain area, Southwest, Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, 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
Claspingleaf Doll’s Daisy (Boltonia decurrens)
Branched stems grow in clumps and carry linear, grayish-green, decurrent leaves up to 5″ long. Flowerheads up to 1″ in diameter are carried in loose panicles and consist of 45-60 white to pale pink ray florets surrounding a yellow center of 230-400+ disc florets. Flowerheads are attractive to butterflies and other pollinators. Plants may need staking.
Alternate Name/s: Decurrent false aster’ winged false aster
Native Range: Iowa, Missouri, and Illinois
Habitat: Shallow marshes, open river creeks, banks of streams, lake shore, moist, sandy floodplains and prairie wetlands along the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers
Type: Perennial
Height: 4-6′
Bloom Time: Late summer
Bloom Color: white to light pink
Light: Full sun
Soil: Average, medium to wet
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-8
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Smallhead Doll’s Daisy (Boltonia diffusa)
Erect spindly stems are branched and carry linear leaves less than 1″ long and flowerheads about 1/2″ wide. The flowerheads are carried in very loose panicles and consist of 20-40 white to lilac ray florets surrounding a yellow center of 50-135 disc florets. The flowerheads are attractive to pollinators and the plants are suitable for native plant, wildflower, pollinator, and wetland gardens.
Alternate Name/s: None
Native Range: Illinois as well as places in the Southwest and Southeast
Habitat: Moist to wet
Type: Perennial
Height: 12″- 6′
Bloom Time: Summer to fall
Bloom Color: White
Light: Full sun
Soil: Average, medium moist, well-drained
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-9
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
The Midwest includes the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota, and North Dakota. The area features lakes, mountains, and vast fertile plains that are the “bread basket” of the nation. The climate of the Midwest has great variations in temperatures with hot humid temperature averaging 85-95 F in summer and winter temperatures often falling below 0 F. Precipitation comes in the form of both rain and snow and varies from 43.6″/year to 18.8″/year.