Description
False Aster (Boltonia asteroides), also called White Doll’s Daisy, False Chamomile, or Boltonia latisquama recognita, is a tall native that lights up late-season plantings with masses of small white flowers from late summer through frost—right when most blooms are yellow. Each flower has a yellow center with narrow white petals, sometimes lightly tinged pink or purple, giving the plant a soft, airy look.
It typically grows 3 to 4 feet tall, depending on moisture, with sturdy stems and narrow gray-green leaves. It does best in full sun to partial shade and prefers medium to wet soils, where it really shines, though it can handle short periods of standing water—making it a great fit for rain gardens and low areas.
False Aster spreads by rhizomes to form colonies over time, but it’s not overly aggressive. It’s a magnet for pollinators, attracting bees, butterflies, wasps, flies, and more. Compared to true asters, it’s taller and more open in habit, creating a light, cloud-like effect while still delivering strong late-season color and pollinator support.
