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 on the Pacific Coast have resulted in only one native species of Boltonia but it is native to other regions also. The Boltonia described here is native to two states on the Pacific Coast.
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: Washington and Oregon as well as in the Rocky Mountain area, Southwest, Midwest, 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
The three states of the Pacific coast, Washington, Oregon and California, have a great variety of geography and climate. The key factors uniting these states are the coastline along the Pacific Ocean and the presence of numerous mountain ranges. The area of the Pacific coast includes rainforests as well as semi-arid plateau and deserts. The climate varies with the geography with average annual rainfall ranging from over 130″ to less than 2″. Precipitation can be in the form of rain or snow. Likewise, summer temperatures can be over 110 F in Death Valley and down to -70 F in the mountains.