Boltonia

Boltonia asteroides, the false starwort or white boltonia, is a large-scale native perennial that delivers a spectacular late-season display of white or pale lavender aster-like flowers from August through October on tall, self-supporting plants that integrate naturally into the open, sunny meadow borders and naturalistic landscape programs of Martha's Vineyard. It thrives in the average, well-drained to moderately moist soils of full-sun positions throughout the island and is notably tolerant of coastal wind exposure, handling the brisk fall winds that increase across Vineyard properties in September and October without lodging or requiring staking. The island's salt air and sandy soils present no significant challenge to established plants.

Deer resistance is reliable. Estate Care professionals deploy Boltonia in the back-of-border positions of large naturalistic plantings and use the Chelsea chop in mid-June to reduce plant height and improve self-support, creating more compact and wind-resistant plants that deliver a fuller, more generous flower display in the late-season garden.