False Aster

Description

Boltonia asteroides, commonly called false aster or false chamomile, is a native perennial forb (wildflower)

The flowerheads attract many kinds of insects because their nectar and pollen are readily accessible. These insect visitors include long-tongued bees, short-tongued bees, wasps, flies, butterflies, skippers, moths, and beetles. A dagger bee, Perdita boltoniae, is an oligolege of Boltonia spp. Another bee that is somewhat oligolectic of these species is the long-horned bee, Melissodes boltoniae, which also visits the flowerheads of some Aster spp. False Aster is one of the host plants of a beetle, Microrhopala xerene, whose larvae mine the leaves.

No information currently available for this species. Please let us know if you have any personal experience.

Easily grown in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun. Tolerates a wide range of soils including moderately dry ones. Plants grown in part shade or in rich, moist soils tend to flop and need support. Plants grown in drier soils will grow shorter, but often less vigorously with inferior flowering. If support becomes an issue, plant stems may be pinched or cut back by 1/3, in somewhat the same way as with many asters, in late spring to early summer to reduce plant height and minimize support needs. Slowly spreads by creeping rhizomes. Easily grown from seed. Naturalized areas, cottage gardens or native plant gardens. This plant can tolerate standing water for short periods of time.

Habitats include openings in floodplain forests, soggy thickets, alluvial meadows, prairie swales, marshes, and ditches.