Plant DetailShow Menu

White Doll's Daisy Boltonia asteroides

Previously known as:

  • Boltonia asteroides var. glastifolia
Phonetic Spelling
bol-TO-nee-uh ass-ter-OY-dees
Description

False chamomile is a perennial in the daisy family typically found in roadside ditches or marshes and other wet sites in the eastern U.S.A. The species name "asterodies" is Latin for resembling asters.  

Plant in the full sun in well drained soil.  Growing in wet sites may require staking due to the plant tending to flop.  On the other hand, planting in dry soils will result in shorter plants and less showy blooms. Cutting back the stems in the spring, before flowering, will give you a shorter plant that will require less support.  

The blooms of this plant typically have white petals with a dome-shaped yellow center disk.  Others may have pink-tinged, or violet rays.  It can bloom from late summer until frost.  This plant will spread through creeping rhizomes or spread by seed.

Use it in a cottage or cutting garden, native plant garden, or in the back of a border with brighter green leaves to contrast with its gray foliage.  This plant tolerates clay soils.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious pests. Powdery mildew can be an issue.  It can be somewhat weedy so consider some of the cultivars like 'Snowbank' which is more compact and less aggressive.  Plants may need staking.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Snowbank'
    Compact form with white flowers.
'Snowbank'
Tags:
#drought tolerant#stream banks#NC native#marshes#naturalized area#gray-green leaves#food source fall#NC Native Pollinator Plant#border back#food source nectar#food source pollen#Coastal FACW#wet soils tolerant#clay soils tolerant#dry soils tolerant#butterfly friendly#Audubon
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Snowbank'
    Compact form with white flowers.
'Snowbank'
Tags:
#drought tolerant#stream banks#NC native#marshes#naturalized area#gray-green leaves#food source fall#NC Native Pollinator Plant#border back#food source nectar#food source pollen#Coastal FACW#wet soils tolerant#clay soils tolerant#dry soils tolerant#butterfly friendly#Audubon
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Boltonia
    Species:
    asteroides
    Family:
    Asteraceae
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Seed
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Eastern USA
    Distribution:
    AL, AR, CT, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE, NJ, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI
    Wildlife Value:
    Attracts butterflies.
    Play Value:
    Attractive Flowers
    Attracts Pollinators
    Easy to Grow
    Textural
    Wildlife Food Source
    Dimensions:
    Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Herbaceous Perennial
    Native Plant
    Wildflower
    Habit/Form:
    Erect
    Maintenance:
    Medium
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
    Soil Texture:
    Clay
    Sand
    Soil pH:
    Neutral (6.0-8.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Moist
    Occasional Flooding
    Available Space To Plant:
    12 inches-3 feet
    3 feet-6 feet
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
  • Fruit:
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Fall
    Fruit Type:
    Achene
    Fruit Description:
    The spiny fruit displays from September to October.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Pink
    Purple/Lavender
    White
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Head
    Panicle
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Good Cut
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Fall
    Summer
    Flower Size:
    < 1 inch
    Flower Description:
    Dense panicles of 3/4" daisy-like blooms from August to October.
  • Leaves:
    Leaf Color:
    Gray/Silver
    Green
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Shape:
    Lanceolate
    Linear
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    3-6 inches
    Leaf Description:
    The green-gray leaves are up to 5" long.
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Description:
    Branching stems
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Coastal
    Meadow
    Naturalized Area
    Patio
    Pond
    Pool/Hardscape
    Riparian
    Slope/Bank
    Walkways
    Landscape Theme:
    Butterfly Garden
    Cottage Garden
    Cutting Garden
    Native Garden
    Pollinator Garden
    Design Feature:
    Accent
    Border
    Mass Planting
    Specimen
    Attracts:
    Butterflies
    Pollinators
    Songbirds
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Wet Soil