Bring bold summer color to your garden with Stokesia laevis Totally Stoked Riptide, a refined selection of Stokes' aster with periwinkle-blue, daisy-like blooms held above a neat clump of narrow green leaves. You will appreciate its reliable flowering in summer, its tidy habit, and how well it fits into borders, cottage-style beds, and pollinator plantings.
Give your plant a sunny spot for best bloom, and aim for well-drained soil so the crown does not stay wet in winter. Water regularly during establishment; once rooted in, it handles short dry spells better than many summer-flowering perennials. Deadhead spent flowers to keep the display looking fresh, and cut back after flowering if you prefer a cleaner look. Space plants so air can move through the clump as it fills out to its mature width.
Hardy in colder regions with winter protection, this selection is generally grown as a perennial in USDA Zones 5-8. In the coldest part of its range, apply a light winter mulch after the ground freezes to help moderate temperature swings. Expect visits from butterflies and other pollinators when it is in bloom, and use it as an easy, colorful anchor near paths, patios, and sunny mixed plantings.