All the Dirt on Gardening

Boltonia is a delightful flowering plant for casual garden settings. It can take some shade, needs minimal water, and blooms late summer to fall, shaking off humid nights like the native it is. There are 8 species of this cold hardy perennial that can be started from seed. The seeds come up best if planted when temperatures are above 60, so they can be started indoors any time between fall and mid-February. The seedlings, raised over the winter, are planted out in the garden after frosts end. All the varieties are easy to grow since they are from North America. The leaves and flowers are small on erect branches.   The plants will form clumps that have to be divided every 2 or 3 years to keep them growing. If they are not divided, they can die out. Boltonias make good cut flowers and attract butterflies to the garden. Many Boltonia species are endangered and need to be planted by more gardeners. Boltonia asteroides var. latisquama Nana   Boltonia asteroids, someti...