Mary Gregory Stokes Aster. This monotypic genus has no other species, and even though it is a Southeastern native, it is still rare in the wild, but it has produced a number of cultivars. This wonderful color selection has been shared among South Carolina gardeners for some time. Named after Mary Gregory of Columbia, SC, this cultivar is in contrast to the species which has pale to deep bluish-purple flowers. 'Mary Gregory' has a soft yellow aster-like flowers which are 12-18" in height and its leaves are characteristically long and narrow. In the South where this plant is native, it keeps a rosette of evergreen foliage all year, but it is much hardier, growing up to zone 5. Since it is a southeastern native, this species is accustomed to great fluctuations in growing conditions from dry to wet and from cool to hot. We have found no pest problems, and this species makes an excellent cut flower as well.
Zones 5-9
