Here is a picture of my Stokes Aster. They are only about a 8 inch tall plant.

Could it be Carolina Aster? I think that is what I have and have been told it will bloom in the fall.

Are yours sending up huge stalks like mine?

My plant gets very droopy when it gets dry (like now - WATER ME!), but otherwise, those tall stalks do a pretty good of standing straight up even against wind. When I looked up Carolina Aster, most of the description were of a vine like plant.

I realize Stokes' Asters want full sun. My plant is at about the drip line of that Ligustrium. But it gets pretty good afternoon sun. I know plants tend to get "leggy" when they don't get as much sun as they want, but that goes well beyond "leggy".

I'm positive that monster is not a Stokes. Maybe the little guy is.

Do Stokes' Asters bloom their first year?

Thanks for the replies.

My stokes aster get very tall, maybe not that tall, so I cut them back after blooming. The picture of the small plant looks like the stokes. The picture of the tip looks like it will bloom soon, that way you will know for sure. :o) Carolina aster is a vine.

It looks like elliott's aster to me. Symphytrichum elliottii.
Zen

I asked back in this thread if anybody could id what I thought was Stokes' Aster. Whatever this is, it started blooming. Whatever it is, I like it, and the bees like it even more.

Slideshow

Goldenrod?
Whatever it is, it is lovely!

This is seaside goldenrod, a native plant that is a bee magnet and a great fall bloomer. Sorry I didn't recognize it in the leaf stage, but do have it and love it! Mine will sometimes send up spikes 8 feet tall and almost solid with blooms.

Glad you like yours. Mystery solved!

Marcia

Thanks, I was wondering, I have two other varieties of Goldenrod, one I believe is Solidago odora var. chapmanii (below) and another variety which is even more spindly.

I love goldenrod. I'd rather have that than stokes aster anyday. But I would be wary of going back to that nursery.

It could be that you bought the plant from me - I'm sorry. We had some aster's mislabeled. Elliotts Aster was labeled as Stoke's aster. If you purchased it from us, please email me privately for a refund. edith@buyabutterfly.com

I'm sorry! I took the plant in today to the Division of Plant Industry for a positive ID so I will be sure they are labeled right next year!

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:948689}}

Love that Seaside Goldenrod... something so cool about a giant flower!!