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Common Name: Stokes Aster

General Information

Stokesia laevis is a Evergreen Perennial up to 1.00 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Southeastern N. America.

Habitat

Not known

Properties

Habit	Evergreen Perennial
Height	1.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Requires a warm, sunny position in a light, fertile and freely draining soil[]. The rootstock is likely to rot overwinter when plants are grown in heavy moist soils[].
Plants are fairly hardy, but will require some winter protection if temperatures fall as low as -20°c[].
The plant makes an evergreen and winter-persistent basal rosette[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The seed contains 36-49% oil of which 64 - 79% are epoxy fatty acids, the major one being vernolic acid[]. These can be used in the manufacture of plastics, varnishes and adhesives[]. The plant is undergoing some research as a potential oil seed crop[]. It has been estimated that seed production could be around 2 tonnes per hectare[]. A productive lifespan of 5 or more years once the plants have been established has been suggested, though establishment can be slow[].

Propagation

Seed - sow in the autumn in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and plant out into their permanent positions in early summer.
Division in spring[].
Root cuttings in late winter[].