Florida Flora Friday: Blue Mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum)

 

It's time for another FFF :) Today, I want to highlight Blue Mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum). Ki's a member of the Aster family, as you might be able to tell. Asters are so punk rock. I love 'em. Note that this is a native species to much of North America, so if you're buying seed, make sure to get a local ecotype.

Blue Mistflower is a short-lived perennial and it propagates by seed and by division. The one in the photo just showed up, volunteering under the new Flatwoods Plum we planted back in early spring. It does prefer moist to wet soil (loam, sand, or muck), so that makes sense since we've been watering the plums regularly to help get them established. We'll see if these persist when we stop watering. 

The flowers can be blue to purple/lavender, and ki blooms from summer all the way through fall. Ki will spread through underground rhizomes, too, creating patches, so ki's kind of perfect if you're looking to create a meadow over time. Another great choice would be in a rain garden. Note that Blue Mistflower can spread aggressively, however, so have a plan for that.

Beware the lookalike invasive that's currently spreading through Florida: Praxelis clematidea. Ki's being considered as an addition to the noxious weed list and is non-native. Praxelis looks remarkably like Blue Mistflower, but the leaves are narrower, with deeper serrations. The flowers are taller than wide and the leaves are supposed to smell like cat urine when they're crushed. 

More info on Blue Mistflower can be found with the Florida Wildflower Foundation and the Florida Native Plant Society. UF/IFAS has a good write-up on Praxelis, including pictures to help identify it.