Stokes' aster (Stokesia laevis 'Omega Skyrocket')
The tall, vigorous Stokesia laevis 'Omega Skyrocket' offers showy white to pale blue Stokes' aster blooms from June to September, requiring low maintenance and drought tolerance.
Complete Plant Information
Overview
The Stokesia laevis ‘Omega Skyrocket’ is a magnificent selection of Stokes’ aster prized for its impressive height and extended summer flowering display. This unique herbaceous perennial brings large, fluffy, cornflower-like blooms in shades of white to pale blue to the late-season garden. As a vigorous cultivar, it stands taller than many other varieties, providing excellent vertical interest.
Native to wet pinewoods and savannas along the coastal plain, this plant nevertheless shows surprising adaptability once established. While it tolerates medium moisture, the key to long-term success with Stokesia laevis ‘Omega Skyrocket’ is impeccable drainage; wet winter soil is often fatal. Gardeners appreciate its relatively low maintenance once sited correctly, making it a reliable feature in mixed borders.
Reaching up to four feet tall, the ‘Omega Skyrocket’ offers substantial value as a long-lasting cut flower perfect for summer arrangements. Enjoying full sun exposure, this cultivar rewards thoughtful placement in sunny borders or cottage garden schemes where its unique flower structure can be admired up close.
Fast Facts
- Plant Family: Asteraceae
- Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 5-9
- Size at Maturity:
- Height: 3-4 ft
- Spread: 2.5-3 ft
- Bloom Time: June to September
- Bloom Description: White to pale blue
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Water Needs: Medium
- Maintenance Level: Low
How to Grow
Plant Stokes’ aster in the spring or fall, ensuring the location receives full, unfiltered sun for the best blooming capacity. It thrives in average soil, but well-drained conditions are absolutely paramount; areas with heavy, slow-draining clay or boggy winter conditions should be avoided entirely. Incorporating sand or grit can significantly improve drainage needed by Stokesia laevis ‘Omega Skyrocket’.
Watering should be consistent while the plant is establishing its root system, maintaining medium moisture levels. Once mature, this plant exhibits good drought tolerance, though supplemental watering during extended dry spells is beneficial. Avoid over-fertilizing, which can lead to lush foliage at the expense of flowers and may exacerbate flopping issues.
Maintenance for this perennial is generally easy. Deadhead individual spent flowers regularly; removing the entire spent flowering stem will stimulate reblooming throughout the summer. After the main flush of bloom concludes, you may cut back the stems close to the basal rosette of evergreen leaves. Gardeners in the northern reaches of its range (Zone 5) benefit from applying winter mulch to protect the crowns.
Landscape Uses
The height and structure of Stokesia laevis ‘Omega Skyrocket’ make it an outstanding mid-to-back border plant, particularly effective in cottage gardens where a slightly wilder look is embraced. Its strong vertical habit allows it to stand above lower-growing perennials, adding texture without becoming too dense. Groupings or mass plantings showcase the beautiful impact of these large blooms effectively.
Consider planting this Stokes’ aster variety near areas with visible water features, such as stream banks or pond edges, provided the soil remains well-drained and does not become saturated during winter. This plant also serves well as a vertical accent within mixed borders, drawing the eye upward between shrubs or taller ornamental grasses.
Companion plantings should share similar full-sun and drainage requirements. Good neighbors include Salvia, hardy Geraniums, or certain ornamental grasses that won’t aggressively shade or compete for water. The bright, unique structure of the Stokesia laevis ‘Omega Skyrocket’ bloom contrasts nicely with daisies or coneflowers, creating a layered, textural display throughout the summer.
Standout Features
Flower Qualities
- Showy
- Good Cut
Noteworthy Characteristics
Stokesia laevis, commonly known as Stokes’ aster, is native to wetlands, bottomlands, wet pinewoods, savannas and ditches mostly along the coastal plain from North Carolina to Florida to Louisiana. It is an evergreen perennial that typically grows to 1-2’ tall. It features fluffy, cornflower-like, violet blue flowers (to 2 1/2” across), each with notched rays surrounding a pincushion center of feathery disk florets. Flowers bloom from early to mid-summer (sometimes with a fall rebloom) atop generally erect, leafy stems that rise from a basal rosette of lanceolate to elliptic, medium green leaves (to 6” long). Stem leaves are stalkless and smaller than basal leaves. Leaves are evergreen in warm winter climates.Genus name honors English physician/botanist Jonathan Stokes (1755-1831).Specific epithet means smooth.‘Omega Skyrocket’ is a tall, vigorous cultivar which features fluffy, cornflower-like, white to pale blue flowers (3-4” across) on generally erect, leafy stems growing to 3.5’ tall. Long summer bloom
Tolerances
- Rabbit
- Drought
Potential Problems
This plant generally resists serious insect or disease issues, making the maintenance level low. However, vigilant gardeners should be aware of potential caterpillar activity, which can defoliate the leaves quickly. The most significant cultural challenge involves flower stem architecture; while the ‘Omega Skyrocket’ cultivar is less prone to lodging than others, very tall flower stems may still flop over, especially following heavy summer rain or wind events. Ensuring the soil is lean and well-drained helps promote stronger stem development, reducing this risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zones is Stokes’ aster suitable for?
Stokesia laevis ‘Omega Skyrocket’ is reliably hardy in USDA Zones 5 through 9.
How large does Stokes’ aster grow?
This specific cultivar, Stokesia laevis ‘Omega Skyrocket’, typically reaches a mature height between 3 and 4 feet tall, spreading about 2.5 to 3 feet wide.
What sun exposure does Stokesia laevis ‘Omega Skyrocket’ need?
This perennial prefers and performs best in full sun conditions, though it can tolerate some filtered sunlight throughout the day.
When does Stokes’ aster bloom?
You can expect abundant blooms on Stokesia laevis ‘Omega Skyrocket’ from June straight through September, producing lovely white to pale blue flowers.
Conclusion
For gardeners needing height, extended color, and good drought tolerance in a low-maintenance package, the Stokesia laevis ‘Omega Skyrocket’ is an exceptional choice. This cultivar of Stokes’ aster reliably delivers large summer blooms atop strong stems, provided you meet its non-negotiable requirement for sharp drainage. Before purchasing, confirm that your planting site avoids winter wetness and enjoys sufficient daily sunlight.
Companion Planting
Selecting appropriate companions helps manage the moisture needs of this plant and enhances its visual impact. Due to the need for excellent drainage, pair Stokesia laevis ‘Omega Skyrocket’ with other Mediterranean or dry-tolerant perennials that bloom concurrently or slightly earlier. Good matches include ornamental grasses that offer movement and contrast, such as Prairie Dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis), or structural bloomers like Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia). Avoid planting near true moisture lovers, like Astilbe or Chelone, unless those spots are distinctly higher and drier.
Design Ideas
The height of the ‘Omega Skyrocket’ cultivar makes it ideal for creating vanishing points in axial garden views or as a strong vertical accent within a mixed perennial island bed. For a classic cottage garden look, intersperse it among towering Heliopsis and airy Monarda, allowing the fluffy flower heads to create a cloud of color above lower-growing edging plants. Because the leaves remain evergreen in warmer zones, consider its winter structure when designing, placing shorter, evergreen shrubs in front to anchor the base during colder months.
