About Stokesia laevis (Hill) Greene
Stokesia is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae, that contains only one species: Stokesia laevis (Hill) Greene. This species has the common names Stokes' aster and stokesia. It is native to the southeastern United States. In the wild, its flowers bloom in summer and come in purple, blue, or white. The plant is cultivated to be grown as a garden flower, and several cultivars are available. These include the cornflower blue 'Klaus Jelitto', 'Colorwheel' which is white and gradually turns purple, and 'Blue Danube' which has a blue flower head with a white center. More unusual cultivars are the pink-flowered 'Rosea' and yellow-flowered 'Mary Gregory'. Like a small number of other plants, including some species of Vernonia, Stokesia laevis contains vernolic acid, a vegetable oil that has commercial applications. The genus is named for Jonathan Stokes (1755–1831), an English botanist and physician.
