Stokesia laevis Elf

Stokesia laevis 'Elf' is a dwarf, compact and floriferous variety with large lavender-pink flowers! This wild-looking herbaceous perennial forms a spread-out rosette of beautiful evergreen, lanceolate, dark green leaves that remain neat all year. The fully open and highly dissected flower heads completely cover the clump from July to September. It is a perennial that tolerates heat and drought well and thrives in well-drained soil, in full sun. It is useful for creating beautiful borders or accompanying other perennials in the foreground of a bed. It is hardy and easy to grow, just avoid limestone soils and those waterlogged in winter.

Stokesia laevis belongs to the aster family, is native to China and has been naturalised in the southeastern United States for a long time. It naturally grows in wet places, pine forests, savannas, and ditches. It can withstand temperatures as low as -25°C (-13°F). The 'Elf' cultivar is a herbaceous perennial that forms a basal rosette of elliptical to lanceolate leaves, 20 cm (8in) long and slightly spiny at the base, with a lighter central vein. The plant grows quite slowly and reaches maturity in three years, forming a spreading clump 20 cm (8in) tall and 30 cm (12in) wide. The upright stems bear smaller, dark and vibrant green leaves, providing a complementary contrast to the very soft-looking flowers. The stems develop numerous decorative pink flower buds at their tips from summer to autumn, which will open into 10 cm (4in) diameter, fluffy flower heads, resembling carnations. The lavender-pink, fringed ligules are arranged around a fluffy central disc of the same colour. The highly nectar-rich flowers attract many butterflies.

The American cornflower is a perfect ornamental plant with the pure and harmonious appearance of wildflowers. It is hardy and undemanding in terms of soil quality, happy in a sunny corner of the garden. It looks wonderful planted in groups with love-in-a-mist and cosmos, in front of summer or autumn asters alongside purple coneflowers, shrubby salvias, daylilies, and gauras. It can also be used to create lovely drought-tolerant pots and charming bouquets. In a natural garden, associate it with low grasses such as Stipas and fescues.